Harry Potter and the Curse of Death
by Exes and Ohs. 2
Summary: *COMPLETE* After being cursed with a spell that makes him way over sensitive and suicidal, his friends help him out of the darkness. When Voldemort hears of them helping him, he sets out for revenge on the two.
1. The Anger Comes Out

Harry-  
I hope you're doing alright. After what happened at the Tri - Wizard Tournament, I've been afraid to look in the newspaper, in fear that an announcement of your death is on the front page.  
That has not happened yet, and I thank God everyday for that. I swore to your father I'd take care of you when he was gone, and I'm not following through on my promise.   
Headmaster says He - Who - Must - Not - Be - Named is waiting for your return to school this coming term. Do be careful. Send me an owl from the owlery once you get to school. Be careful son.  
  
Sirius  
  
Harry smiled a little, thankful for someone caring so deeply for him. Even if it was someone he rarely got to saw. Sure, Mrs. Weasley loved him like he was one of her own, but there was something about Sirius. He knew his parents. Just knowing that little fact gave him more comfort and more of a reason to believe he wasn't a murderer.  
  
Folding the piece of parchment, he put it into his trunk and locked it, then walked over to his bird cage.  
  
"Are you ready for the trip?" He asked his owl, petting her head softly, and the owl nipped his fingers lovingly. "We'll be there this time tomorrow."  
  
He looked around his bedroom. As much as he hated to admit it, he liked his room. He'd spent most of his time here than anywhere else over the summer, not like anyone cared. He was deep in his thoughts when another tap on the window bringing him out of his tranze. He smiled a little, recognizing the owl, much bigger than last time he'd seen it, but looking the same. He opened his window, letting Pig into the room. He wasn't so crazy acting either. And extremely confident, like Hedwig was. Hedwig hooted approvingly, recognizing the owl, and moved over in her cage as Harry let the bird in to feed and water it. Harry turned and sat on his bed, reading the letter.  
  
Harry-  
I decided to make you a nickname. However, I can't think of one. Whatever.  
I'll meet you at platform 9 3/4, bring Pig. Isn't he big now? I'm  
so glad he's lost is annoyingness. Take care! See you soon!  
  
Ron  
PS - Mom sends her love.  
PPS - Fred and George said thanks about a thousand times.  
PPPS - Hermione wants to know why you haven't written us? She's worried, but I told her you're probably really busy.  
  
Harry nodded at the paper, folding it and putting it in his pocket. He didn't bother opening his trunk again. Everything was pretty much put away. Pig was hooting happily, and Hedwig was chirping back, making some noise that Uncle Vernon wouldn't approve of.  
  
"Shut up you dumb birds. If Uncle Vernon - "  
  
Heavy footsteps on the stairs made Harry freeze. He didn't know whether he was in trouble or it was Dudley running up the stairs to the room. Both of the owls froze, watching the door. Uncle Vernon threw the door open, his face purple, glaring at Harry, then at the bird cage.  
  
"Two owls?!" He yelled, approaching Harry.  
  
"One is..The brown one is Pig, he's Ron's. Don't hurt him, I'll send him home right now.." Harry rushed over to the bird cage, but Uncle Vernon grabbed the collar of the very large shirt.  
  
"You, boy, are in very much trouble." Uncle Vernon shoved Harry towards his bed. "Don't look at me like that. I know what you did boy."  
  
"What did I do?" Harry challenged, not afraid of his uncle anymore.  
  
"You scratched my car." Vernon shouted, throwing a fist back. "And that china that was broken last night, that was you too! You were angry because you were punished! I know you did it! You magicked yourself to do it!"  
  
"I don't know how to magic myself to do anything like that!" Harry defended himself, but it was no use.  
  
"Lying doesn't get you anywhere in life." Uncle Vernon hit Harry forcefully on his eye, nearly knocking Harry out.  
  
"Don't touch me! My Godfather will -"  
  
"Will what? Murder me? I've never seen him once, or seen any letters from him!" Vernon shouted, spit flying from his mouth, his face getting angrier.  
  
"He can't see me! He's in hiding, and.." Harry trailed off, knowing he couldn't say he had letters from Sirius Black; that would ruin him.  
  
"And he's not your Godfather! Who would want to be?" Vernon slammed his fist on the bedside table next to him, making the owls screetch and flap their wings wildly. "You're not getting any supper tonight, or any breakfast tomorrow. When you come back from your school, you won't eat for a week!"  
  
Harry stayed on his bed, anger rushing through him. He imagined Petunia, Dudley and Vernon being killed. He wanted it more than anything at the moment. More than that though, he wanted to trade spots with Cedric. His body ached thinking about it, and he would nearly cry. He taught himself not to after the first month of vacation, because the Dursley's couldn't see him cry. Ever.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
The next morning, Harry was waken up. By what, he knew, but what the nightmare was about, he couldn't remember. Flashes in his eyes were of Cedric. An image of Voldemort was another one. His scar burned badly, making his head pound and his vision blur. He felt sick. He glanced at the clock, and saw that it read 6:50 am. The Hogwarts Express leaves at 9. Harry forced himself out of the bed, putting on his glasses, wincing painfully. His eye barely opened. He grabbed his wand and some jeans and a shirt, then walked to the washroom to get ready.  
  
In the washroom, he looked at himself in the mirror. His eye was nearly swollen shut.  
  
"Swellerius!" He said as loudly as he could, pointing the wand at his eye, and in a couple moments, the swelling was gone. He couldn't do anything about the bruise. Sighing, he turned on the shower.  
  
Harry didn't know how long he was in there, and he didn't care. He could smell the bacon from the breakfast table downstairs. It had to be nearly 7:30 now. Uncle Vernon had pounded on the door a while ago now, but Harry had ignored it. He got out as the water started to run cold, and stood in front of the foggy mirror. He ran his hand over it, the fog disappearing in one spot. He studied his eye, deciding he'd tell the truth. Part of it anyway. He got dressed slowly, taking his time, thinking about the year ahead of him. He had a horrible summer with the nightmares. How bad would it be at school?  
  
When he was done dressing and combing his hair, his bangs covering his scar, he left the room. He dumped the dirty clothes in his trunk, then pulled on some socks, then his shoes. He got up, and walked over to the cage, opening it so the birds could fly out.  
  
"Carry the cage." He demanded, and Hedwig and Pig picked up the cage with their feet, flying slowly near the ground because of the weight. Harry grabbed the handle on the side of his trunk, dragging it out of his room and to the top of the stairs.  
  
"Dudley, help Harry." Aunt Petunia demanded.  
  
"But mum, why do I have to?" He whined, stomping on the floor.  
  
"Because the sooner he's got his stuff out the door, the sooner he's gone." Uncle Vernon responded, a large hint of distaste in his voice.  
  
Dudley ran up the stairs happily, picking up the end of it and helping Harry down the stairs, threatening to push him down at every step.  
  
"You push me down, and you're fat ass is going down with me." Harry sneered, fed up with his cousin's attitude.  
  
"I'm telling!" Dudley gasped, his eyes round.  
  
"You think I can't get to my train if your parents don't take me? You're very, very wrong." Harry got on the last step, dragging the trunk outside to the car. The trunk was already open, waiting. "Come on Hedwig, Pig, in your cage."  
  
The owls dropped the cage, thankful, and got into it, waiting for Harry to latch it. Once everything was in the car, the Dursley's came outside, and Dudley pushed Harry out of the way so he could get in first. Harry got in, and stared out the window, aware of the snickers Dudley got, everytime he looked over at Harry's eye. The ride to King's Crosse was uneventful other than that.  
  
Uncle Vernon pulled up the the curb, and got out, walking off to get a cart for Harry. Harry got out of the car, and went to the trunk, pulling out the bird cage and the trunk. Uncle Vernon came back, lifting the trunk onto the cart, then shutting the back of the car. Harry was putting the bird cage on the cart, while the Dursley's drove off, and a familiar voice behind him called his name.  
  
"Harry!" The boy came over, throwing an arm around Harry's shoulders.  
  
"Hey Oliver." Harry said quietly, pushing his cart as Oliver started talking.  
  
"How've you been? Have a nice summer?" Oliver asked, grinning.  
  
"Oh, quite nice." Harry sarcastically answered, without a hint of truth in it.  
  
"Practicing your quidditch?" Oliver changed the subject, trying to make Harry happy.  
  
"No. The Dursley's don't believe in magic." Harry sighed, walking past platforms 5 and 6.  
  
Oliver Wood tisk tisked, and stopped with Harry at platforms 9 and 10. "My sister and mum are already on the platform. I told them I was waiting for you. I haven't seen you for a lifetime, and in the Daily Prophet, they briefly talked about your win. Dumbledore told my father what had happened. I'm awfully sorry Harry."  
  
Harry shrugged, leaning on the barrier, finally looking up at Oliver.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Before Harry answered, he found himself on platform 9 3/4. Looking around, he saw that the Weasley's weren't there yet. Harry pushed the cart to the train as Oliver came through the barrier.  
  
"Harry? Harry, what's wrong?" Oliver ran up, helping with the trunk.  
  
"I've got it." Harry whispered, pulling the trunk up the steps, with help from a train hop, who carried the bird cage. Oliver Wood watched, confused, as Harry went out of sight.  
  
"I'LL SEE YOU AT QUIDDITCH HARRY!" Harry heard Oliver yell after him, and he winced. Quidditch.  
  
He found an empty compartment, and put his trunk underneath the bench of chairs. He sat down next to the window, hoping to cover his right eye from anyone. He watched at the Weasley's ( Only Ron, Fred, George, Mrs. Weasley and Ginny ) looked around, Hermione with them.  
  
"I hope nothing's happen to him." Hermione said, starting to look on the train, and Harry ducked back. Ron was nodding in agreement.  
  
"He's probably been escorted to Hogwarts already." George said, trying to think of a good reason. "Poor kid."  
  
Ron was pulled into a hug, along with everyone else, as Mrs. Weasley gave them all a tight hug, kissing each on the cheek.  
  
"Be good, George and Fred! I don't want to hear you've done anything bad! It's your last year!" Mrs. Weasley called after them as they got on the train.  
  
"What are you talking about woman?" Fred asked, an innocent look on his face as he disappeared.  
  
The door of the compartment opened and then shut, but since there wasn't a 'There you are Harry!' or 'Why didn't you wait for us?', he knew it wasn't a Weasley. In fact, it was the very last person he expected.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Potter, why aren't you with your friends? They seem worried." Professor Lupin asked, sitting across from Harry, and Harry burried his head deeper into the side of the window.  
  
"Dunno." Harry shrugged, wishing Professor Lupin had fallen asleep instead.  
  
Professor Lupin studied Harry for a moment, then spoke quietly. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"No, everything's perfect." Harry snapped, forgetting about his eye and turning his head towards Lupin, challenging him.  
  
"Your eye.." Lupin trailed off, getting closer to Harry to study it.  
  
"It's fine." Harry pulled back from Lupin's hand, looking back out the window. "Why are you back?" He added in a sneer that Draco Malfoy would use.  
  
"Don't give me an attitude, Mr. Potter." Professor Lupin sneered back, sitting against the seat as the train started to move. "No one else wanted the job, so Dumbledore insisted I come back, because the students' parents either knew me personally from school or their children talked about how great I was."  
  
"I'd rather have Snape teach us." Harry mummbled under his breath.  
  
"I'll tell Sirius if you keep making crude comments."  
  
"Go ahead! Tell the whole damn Ministry! I don't care. 50 points from Gryffindor, or 3 detentions with Filch. I..don't..care." Harry snapped, turning and looking back out the window.  
  
Professor Lupin kept his mouth shut, remembering the warning Dumbledore had given him.  
  
  
"Mr. Potter hasn't written his friends or Sirius. He's quite upset over Cedric Diggory, and I wouldn't push anything if you have contact with him. He's very fragile, and we need him to defeat Voldemort."  
  
  
"If you want to talk about it Harry, I'll listen. It'll help." Lupin reached out his hand, slightly touching Harry's knee.  
  
"It won't help. I talked to Dumbledore. He's supposed to help with everything." Harry jerked his knee away, watching the trees pass.  
  
After a while, Lupin pretended he was nodding off to sleep, and before long, Harry's eyes were drifting shut. When Professor Lupin was positive he was asleep, he conjured up a pillow and a blanket, and lied the boy down. He was under a great deal of stress. 


	2. Disappearance

Harry woke up, his eye sore and his scar burning. He touched the scar out of force of habbit, when he heard Ron.brbrGive me a damn scare. He sneered, his voice rising slightly.brbrHarry's eyes flew open and he sat up, then covered his eyes with his hands as he got dizzy. The pain in his head was worse than it was in the morning, and it made him feel sicker.brbrWhy didn't you wait for us? Fred asked, his voice angry too.brbrCome off it. Harry mumbled, wincing as he touched his eye. He realized it was dark outside, which meant they were getting closer to Hogwarts.brbrWhy didn't you wait for us? Hermione pushed again, her voice hurt. I was so worried.I said come off it Hermione! Drop it! Harry yelled, turning his head and facing her angrily. I don't know what woke me up, but I have a feeling it was one of you. That was the first sleep I've had all summer that wasn't full of Cedric's screams. Harry stood up, and got on his knees, pulling out his trunk to get his robes.brbrHarry, we didn't mean to hurt - Ron started to say.brbrWell, you did Ron. Harry tore off his shirt, pulling the robe over his head, then pulling off his pants, stuffing the clothes back into the trunk angrily. I tell you to come off it, and you keep pushing it. Some friends you are. He said, mostly to himself as he locked up his trunk. He pulled out the bird cage, opening it and letting Pig fly out, and catching Hedwig before she could get out. Stay you moron bird.brbrHarry stood up, shivering and looking out the window. His eyes got big as the image turned from pitch black to light. Sirius was standing in a room, hovering over a body, a look of anger on his face. He turned and saw Harry, and approached him, yelling.brbrNo! I didn't do it! No! Sirius, please! Harry started to yell, backing away from the window, and pushing his back against the door. It wasn't me, I swear!brbrThe door opened and Harry tumbled out, then stood up, keeping his eyes on the window as Sirius changed.brbrIt's you! Harry's eyes grew dark as he glared at the transformed figure. Voldemort. Leave him alone!brbrPeople were standing in the hallway, watching Harry break down. Harry stopped, the image gone. It was dark again. His eyes dulled to a bright green again, and he looked around. Professor Lupin had his wand drawn, along with Fred, George and their friend, Lee Jordan. Ron and Hermione were protecting Ginny, who was looking over them, frightened.brbrI - Harry stuttered, feeling the train stop. I'm sorry.brbrHe rushed down the hall, pushing past people, ignoring his friends yelling after him. He was among the first off the train, and headed toward the horseless carriages, ignoring Hagrid yelling for him. All he wanted to do was to get away. He jumped into one of the front carriages, waiting to leave. People filled the carriage, watching Harry anxiously. Mostly second years. Harry stared out the window and watched as his friends looked around. Hermione was in tears. Soon, the carriages took off to the castle.brbrE - excuse me, Harry? A kid asked, and Harry snapped his head around. Is something the matter? Harry snapped, turning back to look out the window. The rest of the ride was spent in silence, with looks tossed to one another, directed at Harry. As soon as the carriages pulled up, everyone fled the carriages, along with the rest of the school, minus the first years.brbrHarry walked into the castle, ignoring everyone calling after him. Professor Sprout had to bring everyone inside, but Harry pushed past the small professor, walking inside. He walked straight to the Great Hall, where the teachers were standing around talking, and turned when he walked in.brbrAh! Harry Potter! Professor Dumbledore smiled, walking up to Harry, reaching his hands out to greet him.brbrWhere's Sirius? Harry ignored Dumbledore, who's smile wavered slightly.brbrHe should be on his way.. Dumbledore studied Harry as talking and laughing was heard in the hallway. Sit down sit down.brbrHarry sat down at the far end of the table, furthest away from the teachers. He ignored Ron and Hermione as they sat down next to him, Fred, George and Lee in front of him. They kept asking him what was wrong, but Harry just stared hard at his plate. They eventually gave up.brbrThe first years walked in after everyone got settled, and they stood quietly, scared. The Sorting was always nerve racking. Harry barely paid attention to the Sorting (Alexia Wood, Fredrich Griffin, and Travis Richards some of the newest Gryffindor's). Dumbledore stood, and everyone got silent.brbrFirst, a moment of silence, for a great student and wonderful friend, Cedric Diggory. He demanded, and everyone closed their eyes, except Harry and the Slytherin's. Dumbledore had his eyes closed too, and when they opened, they focused right on Harry. And an applause for Mr. Potter, for doing great things in his fourth year, and winning the Tournament. Everyone applauded, somewhat stiffly, and a couple people from Gryffindor howled (Fred, George and Lee among them). Harry nodded, thanking them. Quidditch is back this year. Will the Gryffindor team please rise?brbrHarry, Fred, George, Katie Bell and Angelina Johnson stood, looking at eachother questioningly. Harry kept his head down, so no one saw his bruised eye.brbrYour new captain, selected by Wood at the end of his schooling, will be your coach. He'll coach the two new players of the team, who will be chosen from tryouts when the captain chooses. Fred and George looked at eachother, then at Harry. Dumbledore used 'he'. It was one of them. You will respect his authority, and he will respect you back. You'll practice and play as friends and as a team, even if you are not. Harry Potter, if you do not wish to have the responsibility of the Gryffindor team, speak now.brbrHarry knew it was coming. Oliver had always favored him for different reasons. Harry raised his eyes slowly, looking at Fred and George, who were quite disappointed, but nodded at him to accept.brbr He said quietly, and the people who did hear him gasped. I can't. I don't deserve it.Harry! Are you mad? You deserve it more than anyone! George whispered furiously.brbrFred, George, I want you two to captain the team. Harry said, ignoring George's protest.brbrEveryone sat in stunned silence, except for Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, who roared with laughter. As soon as it sunk in, George jumped in the air and let out a howl, and everyone else clapped and whistled. Fred and George hugged Harry tightly, and Harry just stood there. He was happy for the two, but he wished more than anything he could show it.brbrVery well! Dumbledore smiled, directly at Harry. The Forest is forbidden to all students. No hall roaming after dark for any reason. Peeves the Poltergiest is quite insane, so watch your step if you're in an empty hallway. Dumbledore smiled as the older students laughed. And with that, let the feast begin!brbrFood was suddenly on all of the tables, and almost immediately everyone grabbed at something, eating it hungrily. Harry just watched them eat, feeling sick just watching.brbrWhy don't you eat something? Hermione asked, pointing to somethings on the table that she knew were his favorite.brbrNo thanks, I'm not hungry. Harry shook his head. He looked at everyone. Fred and George were being congratulated, but they were staring at him, dumstruck. Harry listened as Ron told Hermione, Neville and whoever else was listening about his summer.brbr..and I got new dress robes! I almost had a heart attack! Ron laughed, eating some chicken.brbrHarry tuned out most of the noise as he thought about his summer. There wasn't much to think about. A tap on his shoulder brought him out of his thoughts.brbrCome with me, Potter.brbrHarry stood and followed Professor McGonagall, very aware that people were watching him. They walked into the hallway, where she turned to Harry, her face creased in worry.brbrOh thank Heavens! She whispered and hugged Harry tightly, shaking slightly.brbr Harry asked, pulling back from her, watching her carefully.brbrRight after your aunt and uncle got home, there was a horrible attack.. She said quietly, and Harry jumped back slightly.brbrWhat? No.. Harry shook his head, and Professor McGonagall pulled him into another hug, but Harry quickly pulled away angrily. You're lying to me!No! Harry, I'm not. She tried to reason with him.brbrThe Dursley's are perfectly alright. They aren't dead, no. You're lying. Harry backed away towards the Great Hall.brbrHarry, yes, please believe me. She begged, tears in her eyes.brbrHe didn't kill my remaining family. No. Harry whispered, his eyes flashing in anger.brbrMr. Potter, come with me to my office. Professor McGonagall tried to reason.brbr Harry backed into the Great Hall, and people turned and looked at him, getting quieter.brbr McGonagall whispered. Professor Lupin said you're dillusional and you need -brbrHarry turned around, and focused on Professor Lupin. Harry drew his wand angrily, pointing it at Lupin.brbr He yelled, his hand shaking in anger as Professor Lupin stood up slowly, his hand moving down to his wand. Harry screamed, anger coursing through his body as Lupin moved out of the way, the window behind him shattering, and girls started to scream.brbrMr. Potter! That is quite enough! Dumbledore roared, but Harry turned his wand on him.brbrDon't test me! Harry growled, and turned his wand back at Lupin, who had his drawn, along with Professor Snape. Professor McGonagall stood behind Harry, afraid of moving and making Harry angrier. I know more curses than anyone would imagine. I've survived Avada Kedavra twice. Do you really want to try me, Professor Lupin? At these words, Lupin's wand lowered.brbr Harry screamed unexpectantly, and Lupin fell to the ground, twitching and screaming in pain. Harry turned his wand to the Slytherin table, where Malfoy was smirking, and pointed his wand directly at him. Do you think it's funny, Draco? Do you want to die? Do you want to survive like I did, and be the star of the school? Dumbledore yelled, and Harry's wand flew out of his hand. Snape turned to Lupin, stopping him from twitching, but Lupin stayed on the floor, sobbing and twitching his aching body. Everyone was frozen, watching Harry, waiting for him to do something.brbrHarry stared at Draco, then shut his eyes. His hands when to his ears, and he dropped to his knees, trying to block out the horrible screaming. His mother screaming to let Harry live.brbrSTOP IT! Harry screamed, and as soon as they screaming started, it stopped.brbrHarry was raised to the floor, by magic or by McGonagall, Harry didn't know. When his feet touched the ground, he snapped back into reality. Harry focused on Dumbledore, who was staring at Harry, but he knew Dumbledore was frightened like everyone else. Harry's eyes then focused on Snape.brbr Harry's hand raised slowly, pointing directly at Snape. What have I ever done to you to make you hate me? You hated my parents, so what? Is this all an act, hoping your precious Lord will think you're on his side? He knows you aren't, you dumb fool. Harry's eyes focused on the wand, feet away from him. Accio Wand! The wand flew into his hands, and before anyone could react, he pointed it at himself. Would anyone like to place any bets? Let's see if I can survive the killing curse for a third time?brbrSomething pushed Harry to the ground from behind. It was heavy and growling. Sirius. Harry rolled over onto his back, angrily.brbrGet off me you blasted mutt. He shoved the dog off and sat up, staring at the dog, who stared back, ready to pounce. Oh God Sirius. Harry whispered so only the dog could hear. Sirius took a cautioned step forward as Harry stood up and looked around. Without another word, Harry left the Hall, his wand on the ground. Ron was the first to react moments later.brbrHe's going to hurt himself! He yelled, jumping up from the table and running out into the hallway, Sirius and Professor McGonagall right behind him. No one was there.brbrEveryone started to crowd the doorway, trying to get out and see for themselves. Fred got through the crowd and grabbed Ron's sleeve.brbrThat map. We need to get it.brbrRon looked at Fred for a moment, confused. He nodded as Fred got the password from a prefect, and Sirius started down the hall with Ron. Fred ran and caught up, ignoring the yells from the Professors. They got to the Gryffindor Tower in record time. The Fat Lady stared at them hard.brbrMidnight Butterflies. Fred panted, and the picture flew open. The three of them ran in, and Sirius transformed quickly on the way up to the 5th year dormitory.brbrWhich one's his? He asked, looking at the trunks that were already there. Ron rushed to the trunk at Harry's bed and pulled it open. Sirius dug through it and found the map, tapping it with his wand. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.brbrThe map drew Hogwarts, revealing little black dots. Many were together in the crowd of people by the Great Hall. Professor Snape was at the Slytherin Tower, McGonagall on her way to Gryffindor. Dumbledore stood with Hagrid as all the remaining Professors went searching for Harry. His name wasn't on the map.brbrHe's not here. He left Hogwarts. Sirius whispered, erasing the map. He put it back in the trunk and looked out the window.brbrHis broom's gone. Ron said quietly.brbrI'm going to go find him.brbrAnd with that, Sirius changed into an owl, and was gone.  
  
pFor the sake of this story, I'm going to tell you this now..  
  
br  
pThis was my first story. I wrote it after I finished reading the books for the first time. I had no idea what the animagus shit was about. I got enough bullshit in the past year about this chapter because "Sirius can't turn into an owl!". But considering I've got over 160 reviews for this, it must not suck *stares at "hermionebelch"*..nice name, fucker. Anyshits..there you go. Enjoi!  
  
piPatheticInvader, 2:10 PM November 25, 2002/i 


	3. Double Potions

Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews you guys! I appreciate it. I fixed the tags too, since it didn't work for some reason on here..damn. Leave more messages, and I'll be more inspired to write more!  
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Days passed without any word from Sirius or Harry, and people were starting to get fidgety and worried. Ron and Hermione would check the mail everyday, hoping for something. Hedwig didn't show up to drop off Harry's mail, but it didn't surprise them. When did Harry ever get letters? Other than from Hagrid, who'd been a wreck since Harry disappeared. Professor Snape even looked worried everytime the Gryffindor House entered his classroom, and Harry wasn't there. Draco even defended Harry, and Ron only guessed that Dumbledore had spoken to him about what was going on.  
  
Professor Trelawny didn't give her preachings on how Harry was going to die. She acted as though Harry wasn't even in existance. Hermione asked Dumbledore everytime she saw him if there was any word about Harry. Professor Lupin's classes were mainly just notes, except for a couple times when Lupin had demonstrated what he was talking about in his notes.  
  
It was nearly a week, and everyone would whisper different stories to eachother, about what they thought happened to Harry. Ron and Hermione defended Harry, but couldn't help but wonder if they were right. No one knew where he was. All of the Professor's were worried.   
  
Ron and Hermione were sitting at the Gryffindor table, eating a little and reading their Defense Against The Dark Arts notes. As much as they didn't want to admit it, they had to get on with their lives. Ron was upset that Harry would just leave and not send an owl, or anything, saying he was okay.  
  
"Maybe he isn't okay Hermione." Ron whispered, clearing his notes from the table.  
  
"Of course he is." Hermione whispered back.  
  
"How do we know? No one knows what's happened to him. I'd go out and find him if I had any clue where he might be." Ron sighed, staring down at his plate of breakfast.  
  
"Why wouldn't he be okay? He wouldn't do anything to himself. And Padfoot wouldn't let him." Hermione pointed out. "As long as Padfoot is with him, Harry's going to be fine."  
  
"But what if Padfoot can't even help him? What if he's too screwed up in the head?" Ron asked, looking up from his food and staring at Hermione.  
  
"Harry's not screwed up in the head, Ron. Don't say stuff like that." Hermione waved her hand in the air, ending their conversation.  
  
The two went back to eating, Hermione looking over the notes.  
  
"Lupin's gonna kill us with his notes." Ron pointed out, and Hermione sighed.  
  
"He's too worried about Harry to actually do anything else than notes."  
  
"Professor Trelawny doesn't even do her crystal ball gazing things anymore. At least in our class she doesn't." Ron shrugged, looking over at the teachers' table. Everyone was pretty much silent up there too, except for Lupin and Snape, who kept whispering and then glancing at Ron and Hermione, nodding and whispering more.  
  
"Wonder what they're talking about." Ron said, nodding his head toward the two Professors. "They never get along enough to talk about us."  
  
Hermione looked up from her notes and watched Snape and Lupin for a moment. "Probably talking about Harry."  
  
"Well, yeah, but what do we have to do with him? And his disappearance?"  
  
"How should I know? I'm not psychic." Hermione snapped.  
  
Ron nodded, shutting up so he wouldn't upset her anymore. He was just worried about Harry. Suddenly, all the talking stopped. Ron looked up at Hermione, who was looking at the entrance. The Professor's all stood up, some of them grabbing their wands. Ron turned to the entrance, and grinned, jumping up. He ran toward Harry, nearly knocking him over as he hugged his friend.  
  
"I've been wondering when you'd be back." Ron whispered, pulling away as everyone started talking animatedly, pointing at Harry and smiling.  
  
Harry just nodded at Ron as Hermione ran up, hugging him too. Fred and George were next. As soon as all of his friends were done hugging him, Harry turned and looked at the Professors. He felt so bad about what had happened the first night. Harry slowly walked with Ron and Hermione to the Gryffindor table and sat down.  
  
"Here." Ron gave Harry his plate of food. "I'm not hungry."  
  
"Neither am I." Harry said, but took the plate and ate some bacon off of it.  
  
"Harry, you wouldn't believe it." Hermione smiled, sitting across from him. "Snape's been worried. And Draco's been defending you against a whole bunch of people."  
  
Harry's head shot up as he stared at her. "Malfoy's defended me?"  
  
"Yes!" Hermione said. "I was so shocked too. He's been so nice to me and Ron."  
  
Ron nodded. He couldn't speak. He was just too happy that Harry was back.  
  
"Where's Sirius?" Hermione asked as she glanced at the Professor's, who silently watched Harry.  
  
"I dunno." Harry shrugged. "In the tower I suppose."  
  
"You don't know?" Ron asked, turning and looking at Harry. "What do you mean?"  
  
"We split once we got inside." Harry shrugged again. "He probably went to get washed up or something."  
  
Owls started flying around above the tables, indicating the mail had arrived. Harry didn't bother looking up, hoping for something. He really didn't think there would be something for him there. An owl landed on his shoulder, nuzzling the side of his face and nipping at his ear.  
  
"Hey you moron bird." Harry gave a small smile, petting Hedwig. "Have you been good?"  
  
Hedwig bit his finger softly, chirping. She got up off of his shoulder and flew off. Harry sighed and turned back to Ron and Hermione, who was going through their mail. Nothing much, except a letter from Mrs. Weasley, talking about how worried she was for Harry. A moment later, Hedwig came back, dropping some mail in front of him.  
  
There were 3 letters. He picked up the first one, noticing it didn't have any writing on the front of it. Confused, he opened it and read the paper.  
  
I'm sorry.  
-Draco  
  
Harry looked up at the Slytherin table, where Draco was staring at Harry intently. Harry gave him a confused look, and Draco nodded and shrugged. Ron took the note from Harry, then gave it to Hermione.  
  
"Wow.." Hermione trailed off, handing the note back to Harry, and Harry started to open the next letter. It was quite formal looking.  
  
Harry read the note and looked up, tears in his eyes. He fought them back, then read it aloud to Ron and Hermione. "Vernon, Petunia and Dudley Dursley will be laid to rest on September 9th at 11 AM. All family and friends are permitted to attend."  
  
"What's that mean, 'permitted to attend'?" Ron asked after Harry finished reading it.  
  
"It means that I'm allowed to go." Harry answered. "It's going to be tomorrow."  
  
"Are you going to it?"  
  
"I dunno, maybe." Harry shrugged at Hermione, then opened his last letter. It was his class schedule. "Double Potions? Man.."  
  
"Snape won't bother you anymore." Ron assured Harry.  
  
"And Magical Creatures?" Harry looked up at Hagrid, who was staring at him intently. "Has he been really upset?"  
  
"Pretty much." Hermione answered quietly.  
  
Harry turned his head as Padfoot entered the Hall. He walked down and collapsed behind Harry, sighing and looking around. Harry dropped some bacon on the floor for Sirius, then went back to reading his schedule.  
  
"I don't think I'm going to class today." Harry said after a moment. "I just want to sleep or whatever."  
  
"Understandable." Ron nodded.  
  
"Harold, dear, may we have a word with you?" Fred asked, walking up behind Harry and putting an arm around his shoulders, George behind him.  
  
"About what?" Harry asked, standing up, giving Ron a pleading look. The three walked out into the hallway, Sirius watching tiredly.  
  
"About Quidditch." George answered.  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"Tryouts are tomorrow morning, after breakfast. All of the team has to be there, because they're going to have to agree on the new players." Fred started to explain.  
  
"Which means you have to be there." George nodded.   
  
Harry shook his head. "I can't.."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"The Dursleys' funeral is tomorrow.." Harry trailed off.  
  
"Oh!" George grinned. "Oh, then that's okay, you can come to the practice then."  
  
"No.." Harry sighed. "I'm quitting you guys."  
  
Fred and George stepped back a little. "You're..you're quitting? No! Harry, you're the best damn seeker this school has had since.."  
  
"..since my father." Harry helped him out. "I understand that, but I've got too much on my mind to concentrate on Quidditch."  
  
"You can't quit Harry." Fred pleaded. "You're the best thing to happen to this team. To this school. To everyone!"  
  
"Why do you think I let you guys become captain?" Harry asked, folding his arms across his chest. "Because I'm quitting. You guys, it's your last year, I want you to have what I can get when you're gone."  
  
"What we want is the Quidditch Cup, and hold it proudly with you beside us." George argued.  
  
"Please, just accept it."  
  
Fred and George watched Harry walk off toward the Great Hall. Harry walked up to the table and picked up his invitation, and walked up to Dumbledore, handing it to him.  
  
"Mr. Potter, so glad you're back." Remus Lupin smiled at him.  
  
"Thanks." Harry sighed unhappily. He didn't know how to act around Remus now.  
  
"You want to go to this?" Dumbledore asked quietly.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"Positive." Harry nodded.  
  
"Alright then. But Sirius has to go with you.."  
  
"I know that. Can he resume his real form?"  
  
Dumbledore handed Harry a newspaper article, and Harry read it.  
  
  
Peter Pettigrew, a man thought to be dead after an explosion 15 years ago, has turned himself in, saying Sirius Black, the accused man who was thought to have caused the explosion, was innocent. Trial will be held later in the week."  
  
  
"What's this mean?" Harry asked, looking up. "Sirius..he's a free man?"  
  
"Just about." Dumbledore smiled, and Harry started to smile.  
  
"So he can come with me as a regular person?" Harry asked eagerly.  
  
"Unless he doesn't want to." Dumbledore answered.  
  
Harry looked around, grinning. Sirius was free.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
Harry walked into Double Potions about 10 minutes after class had started, since he'd been talking to Dumbledore. Sirius was walking in behind him, still in his dog form ( he'd insisted on it, afraid to scare off the kids ). Snape looked up from his instructions on how to make a potion that would make you remember important things ("Mr. Longbottom will find today's potion quite useful".) Harry stood nervously, wondering where he was sitting. The back row was empty except for Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Potter, right up here." Snape demanded, pointing to the empty seat in the front of the class.  
  
"Can't I sit back here?" Harry asked, challenging Snape, Sirius growling.  
  
"Mr. Potter, I had strict instructions, as all of your other teacher's have, to keep you near me at all times during class. Now get up here."  
  
Harry glared at Snape, and gave a shrug to Hermione and Ron, then sat down. Some Slytherin's were laughing hysterically. Crabbe and Goyle especially. Draco was sitting behind Harry to the left, watching him curiously.  
  
Snape went back to his instructions, then let everyone start their potions. Harry just sat in his chair, his arms folded, watching everyone else. Snape came up, grabbing the cauldron from Harry's desk, and whispered, "I need a word with you after class. Sirius can stay if he wishes."  
  
Once Snape was out of earshot, Harry turned and looked at the dog. "I want to leave school."  
  
Sirius barked and growled, as if to say that was a wrong choice. Harry sighed and went back to watching everyone else. Finally, after Snape had yelled at Neville for forgetting some ingredients quite a few times, the class was dismissed. Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed in their seats.  
  
"Just go. I'll see you at Hagrids."  
  
Ron and Hermione nodded, leaving the room. Snape followed them, closing and locking the door.  
  
"Sirius." Snape gave the dog a look, and Sirius took his real form.  
  
"Harry." Snape sat down at his desk, using Harry's first name for the first time ever. "You gave us all quite a scare."  
  
Harry nodded, not sure where this was going.  
  
"Why, even Mr. Malfoy was worried."   
  
"I'm sorry.." Harry trailed off.  
  
"Don't be. There's no need to apologize. Harry, do you remember what happened that night?" Snape leaned forward, lacing his fingers together.  
  
"Servus, the boy -"  
  
"Will take his time Sirius." Snape snapped.  
  
"I remember." Harry nodded slowly.  
  
"The power you showed that night, Harry, was magnificient. If Lupin hadn't moved from your Expelliarmus spell, he would've been sent through the windows. No young boy could do that."  
  
"But no young boy can survive what he's been through." Sirius spat, defending Harry.  
  
"Don't be so testy. All I'm saying is, Harry, you've got great powers. Far greater than Dumbledore. Even he's afraid of you now. I mean, Remus was twitching for days after. I understand, as do the Professors and students, if you want to leave Hogwarts. However, the Professor's and I have decided it's nearly time for some outside training for you."  
  
"Outside training?" Harry asked, curious. "I can kill Voldemort with this outside training?"  
  
"Kill him? Most likely not. But take away his powers, definately. You've done it before. I know his weaknesses. Harry, " Snape leaned closer to Harry, staring into his eyes. "You are the Wizarding World's only hope at defeating Lord Voldemort."  
  
"Servus!" Sirius snapped. "He's not ready for outside training. Look at the poor boy! He's tired and ill and barely has enough energy to walk! He's too drained to do anything."  
  
"I said it was nearly time, Black." Snape snarled. "He doesn't have to if he doesn't want to."  
  
Harry stared at the desk. On one hand, he wanted Voldemort gone more than anything. On the other hand, Sirius was right. He was too drained to do it.  
  
"I..I can't." Harry stood up. "I can't."  
  
Harry turned to leave the room, when Snape stopped him.  
  
"Just coming back to school was a big enough step to take, Mr. Potter. Nobody expects you to be able to do everything." Snape unlocked his door. "When you do feel ready, come tell me." 


	4. Screams and Decisions

Author's Note: Thanks to Renee for her note ;) I appreciate it. I NEED MORE NOTES! lol, pretty please? With Sean Biggerstaff on top? (lol, the guy who plays Oliver Wood in the movie..damn he's hott..) I'm working on Chapter 5 now..As for St. Mungo's..I dunno ;) ;)  
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"Sirius?" Harry asked that night as the two sat in the Gryffindor common room. Sirius had decided to stay himself. Being a dog when everyone probably suspected it anyway didn't make sense.  
  
"Hmm?" Sirius turned his eyes from the fireplace to Harry.  
  
"When your name's cleared and everything, can we just go back to your house?" Harry asked, staring into the fire as some 3rd years entered the room.  
  
"Of course you can. You'll love it. You really will." Sirius smiled.  
  
"Sirius? Howcome Peter turned himself in?"  
  
Sirius was silent for a moment, contemplating the question. "He owed it to you, for saving his life. I guess he realized that Voldemort would eventually kill him. Peter's not as bad as he seems," Sirius paused, an angry scowl on his face. "He knows he owes it to you and your parents. He owed you something, so he turned himself in so I could be free, and you'd be happy."  
  
"But..why? After a year? I think he's up to something." Harry sighed, thinking about it.  
  
"Peter isn't smart enough to be up to something. He's turning himself in to go to Azkaban for you. That says a lot. That's a lot of loyalty. He's one of your followers now."  
  
"Do you think Voldemort will be at the funeral tomorrow?"   
  
"I doubt it. It wouldn't be his style, killing people at a funeral for people he killed." Sirius shook his head, looking up at the doorway as Ron, Hermione and Lee entered, Fred nad George dragging behind them.  
  
"Hey." Ron sat down in a chair across from the other two. "What's up?"  
  
"Nothin." Harry sighed and yawned. "What about you guys?"  
  
"Nada." Lee sat on the floor as Fred and George went to the other side of the room away from Harry.  
  
"Dinner is in a little while." Hermione remained standing, looking from Harry to Sirius.  
  
"I'll get something from Dobby in the kitchen." Harry shrugged. "I don't want to eat with everyone else tonight."  
  
"Dobby's been asking about you." Lee smiled. "Oh, Mr. Harry Potter sir hasn't come to see Dobby, is he okay?"  
  
Lee and Ron laughed at the imitation, and Sirius chuckled.  
  
"Yeah, well, I really haven't been to see anyone." Harry glanced at Fred and George, knowing they were probably mad at him.  
  
Hermione sat down on the arm of Harry's chair, studying him. He was awfully tired looking, his face pale and his eyes were bloodshot.  
  
"Harry, you should go see Madame Pomfrey. Go get some dreamless potion." Hermione pointed out.  
  
"I was thinking about that earlier." Harry sunk into the velvet chair, comfortably.  
  
"Hey, anyone wanna play Wizard Chess with me?" Ron asked.  
  
"No, I suck." Harry shook his head.  
  
Ron shrugged and looked into the fire, then back at Harry.  
  
"You okay?" He asked quietly.  
  
"Hm?" Harry looked up at Ron. "Yeah, I'm fine."  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"I'm sure Ron."  
  
They all sat in silence, except for the occasional person entering and leaving the common room, with a small smile or wave at Harry. Harry was drifting off to sleep, when he started to hear voices. Screaming. He threw his hands over his ears, trying to block it out.  
  
"Stop it!" He screamed, falling to the floor on his knees, screaming and trying to block out the sounds. Sirius was holding onto Harry's shoulders, and everyone else watched cautiously. Fred and George were slowly walking over, their wands drawn.  
  
"Please..please stop it." Harry sobbed, staring up at Sirius, then at Ron and Hermione. "Please..make it stop.."  
  
The more Harry tried to fight off the screaming, the more louder it got, up until he felt like he was in the room with her. Sirius was racking his brain, but couldn't think of anything to help him.  
  
"Come on, hospital wing." He finally said, lifting Harry up onto his feet.  
  
Harry stumbled and sobbed, wishing more than anything the screaming would stop. His scar burned, making him dizzy and more upset. He didn't even remember the trip to the hospital wing. All he could remember was stumbling and Sirius helping him, Ron and Hermione walking beside him.  
  
A teacher came out of her office, wondering what the commotion was, and gasped when she saw Harry.  
  
"Harry? Potter, is he okay?" Professor McGonagall asked, frantically.  
  
"Make it stop." Harry pleaded, looking up at McGonagall.  
  
"Make what stop?" She asked, walking backwards towards the hospital wing.  
  
"The screaming. Make her stop screaming." Harry's head pounded as the piercing screams invaded his thoughts.  
  
Professor McGonagall left to find the headmaster, and Sirius got Harry into a bed as Madame Pomfrey started to make a sleeping potion. She told Harry to drink it, but he refused.  
  
"I can't. She won't stop screaming." Harry sobbed.  
  
"Harry, take it." Sirius whispered, pleading. He had no idea what was going on. Harry was about to protest when Madame Pomfrey poured the potion from the cup into his mouth, and almost immediately, the screaming was fading as he closed his eyes, slipping into sleep.  
  
Dumbledore walked in a moment later, McGonagall and Lupin behind him. His face relaxed when he saw that Harry was asleep.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I don't know. We were sitting up in the common room, and he was starting to fall asleep." Ron shrugged.  
  
"He started screaming and sobbing." Sirius whispered, looking at the floor. "So I helped him here, thinking there was something Madame Pomfrey could do. She can fix almost anything."  
  
"And he was begging you to make 'her' stop screaming?" Dumbledore asked, turning to Professor McGonagall.  
  
"Yes." She nodded, her face tired and worn as she studied Harry.  
  
"The last time this was happening, Dementors were near." Hermione pointed out, folding her arms across her chest, also studying Harry.  
  
Dumbledore nodded and got silent, thinking. After a while, he started to speak. "It seems to me, that whatever he went through the night of the Third Task, has hit him so hard in his conscience, that it's upsetting him at the most unexpected times. I mean, I don't think I've seen him smile at all since he's been here."  
  
"Headmaster..?" Sirius asked, trailing off quietly. "May I speak to you in private?"  
  
Hermione and Ron glanced at eachother, then over at McGonagall and Lupin. Remus shrugged, but the look on his face told them he knew what Sirius would talk to Dumbledore about. Dumbledore nodded and excused himself and Sirius from the room.  
  
"You two should go back to the tower and get some rest." Professor McGonagall said quietly after a moment of silence.  
  
"Isn't dinner starting soon?" Ron asked, wondering why they'd have to go to bed so early.  
  
"It's going on right now. I was just leaving my office to join Dumbledore. Professor Lupin came along. Now, students saw Harry in the hallway. The whole school knows by now that he was breaking down again. If you want to walk in there and eat, and have everyone ask you what happened, go ahead. I'll have dinner sent up to the tower if you'd rather eat alone."  
  
"Couldn't we stay here?" Hermione shivered a little.  
  
"Harry's going to sleep through the night." Madame Pomfrey said, walking into the room. "He shouldn't wake up until the morning."  
  
"And when he wakes up, he's going to London." Professor Lupin added. "You two really should get some rest in your own beds."  
  
"I don't get it.." Ron trailed off. "He wasn't talking to us on the train, and when he did, he gave us the hint he didn't want to. We've barely talked at all, or been with eachother, and now when we can be here for him, you're pushing us away. Why?"  
  
Professor McGonagall sighed. "Mr. Weasley, I'm asking you to please leave Harry alone. He needs his rest more than he needs his friends, and -"  
  
"He needs his friends and family more than anything!" Ron yelled angrily, and Harry rolled over in his sleep, his brow creased. "I can't believe you!"  
  
Ron turned, grabbing Hermione by the wrist, and stomped out of the room. Professor Lupin turned to McGonagall.  
  
"He's right you know." He said quietly. "What good is rest going to do if he can't have his friends with him?"  
  
"Professor Lupin, please." Professor McGonagall rubbed her head slightly.  
  
Remus sighed and sat down next to Harry. "I'll watch him if you want to get some sleep yourself."  
  
"I need to speak to Professor Dumbledore." She said quietly, sitting on the opposite side of Harry, brushing hair off of his forehead carefully.  
  
The two sat in silence for what seemed like hours, and probably was, until Sirius came back, anger etched in his face. "Remus." He muttered, turned and left the room. Lupin looked at McGonagall, who ended up falling asleep, her head on Harry's bed. Lupin stood up and left the room, following Sirius, jogging to catch up with him.  
  
"What's up?" He asked, brushing his gray hair out of his eyes.  
  
"Harry's mental." Sirius whispered, walking into an empty classroom and locking the door. "He needs help, Remus. Real help. Dumbledore doesn't believe he does though. So whatever Dumbledore wants, Dumbledore gets. I'm his damn Godfather!" Sirius pounded on the desk he was standing next to.  
  
"Maybe he's right Sirius." Remus tried to reason. "Maybe he's just upset and -"  
  
"And hearing his mother scream in his head? There aren't Dementors around here Remus. Whatever he went through the night Cedric died did more than 'hit him hard in his conscience'. It's screwed him up, up here." Sirius tapped his head. "You think I like talking about Harry like this? I'm bringing him to St. Mungo's tomorrow."  
  
"Sirius!" Remus sneered. "You're not bringing him there. If he's not mental, he will be when he leaves."  
  
"Remus, he needs help. Being at school is making him worse. Nobody can help him, and when someone does, he's happy for about 5 minutes. We need him more than anything to defeat Voldemort, but how in the hell can he defeat him if Harry's screwed up worse than his opponent?"  
  
Lupin sat silently, listening to what Sirius was saying. Sirius was right.  
  
"Dumbledore thinks that Harry can defeat Voldemort in the state he's in. The person who we should ask is Servus. He was a Death Eater for crying out loud. If anyone would be able to tell us Harry can defeat Voldemort in the state of mind he is, it's Snape."  
  
"Sirius, are you sure about all this? We've all seen you with Harry. He's like your son, and sometimes when people are that attatched, they make rash decisions.."  
  
"Would James want his son sick like this?" Sirius asked, pacing the floor, his hands locked behind his back, with his head down towards the floor.  
  
"Nobody wants their kid sick like this, you know that. But sometimes, it's just the way it is. Like Neville's parents." Remus said quietly. "Maybe we should just let it be."  
  
"Remus, you're my best friend. I don't know how much James or Harry means to you, but they mean everything to me. I'm doing this because I know James wouldn't want us to let it be."  
  
"Sirius, James wasn't like us." Remus said quietly.  
  
"That's how we got along so well, don't you see? He joked and screwed around all the time, and we were the tag alongs. We let him get away with anything. But we agreed with everything. You know how much he wanted a son Remus. You know how happy he was when Harry was born. Harry needs help, and James would want his kid set right."  
  
"You should be a counselor." Remus shook his head, smiling, after a moment of silence.  
  
"Tomorrow after the funeral, I'm going to take him to St. Mungo's." Sirius said softly. "He's my responsibility, and no one else can stop me."  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
The next morning, Harry woke up, his head pounding. He shifted slightly in his bed. It wasn't his bed. He opened his eyes slightly and saw Sirius staring out the window, deep in thought. Madame Pomfrey was busy in the hallway, making some noise.  
  
"Sirius?" Harry asked, swallowing thickly as he winced. His throat was swollen and sore.  
  
Sirius came out of his thoughts, and turned around. He smiled at Harry, walking over and sitting down. "Hey, how are you feeling?"  
  
"Pretty bad." Harry mumbled, coughing and wincing more. "My throat and head really hurt."  
  
"I'm sorry." Sirius felt Harry's head, frowning. "Maybe you should stay here today."  
  
Harry contemplated it for a moment. He felt miserable. Staying at Hogwarts and sleeping didn't sound like a bad idea. But then again, this was the last time he'd see the Dursley's.  
  
"I'll go." Harry mumbled, yawning and wincing more.  
  
"No, you need to stay, you're really ill." Sirius decided after watching him for a moment.  
  
"Sirius..I need to go." Harry said angrily, glaring at his Godfather.  
  
"Then you need to get up and showered and everything in the next half hour." Sirius sighed. "But when we get back, you need to go straight to bed."  
  
Harry shook his head. "What I need to do when I get back, is go to class."  
  
Instead of arguing, Sirius let it go. Harry wouldn't be going back to class, or Hogwarts, for a while. Harry got out of bed and changed into his robes (he wondered how he was changed during the night), then walked with Sirius to the Gryffindor Tower. Harry didn't know what time it was, but judging by the laughing and talking from all the classrooms, he decided it had to be about 10. He passed the classrooms, looking in and listened to what certain Professor's were saying. Snape glanced up and gave a small nod then went back to his teaching. McGonagall gave a relieved smile. Lupin ignored Harry and gave Sirius a small smile.  
  
"Good luck!" He yelled after them, and Sirius shuddered a little, hoping Harry hadn't caught on. He didn't.  
  
They kept walking, and passed Dumbledore on the way up to the Gryffindor Tower.  
  
"Glad to see you better, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore smiled, walking past them without a word to Sirius, and Harry glanced at him.  
  
"What was that about?" He asked, and Sirius shrugged.  
  
"We had words last night. Best to leave it alone Harry."  
  
Harry nodded and said the password ("You gave me quite a scare last night. I hope you're doing better." Said the Fat Lady), then went straight up to his dormitory and grabbed his muggle clothes, then went into the washroom to shower.  
  
10 minutes later, Harry was out and dressed. He walked down the stairs, entering the common room, feeling worse than when he woke up. Sirius agreed with a silent look of concern. They left the room, ready to get to London. 


	5. The Carnacious Curse

Author's note: This story is extremely far from over. Just wait, in time everything will come out..lol..thanks for all the notes you guys..I appreciate it a lot!  
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Harry stood at the cemetary, not really knowing what he was supposed to do. Sirius just stood with him, his arm around his shoulders protectively. Some people would walk by, scowling at Harry unapprovingly. Others would walk up and say sorry to Harry. He'd just nod. Once or twice there were these three people who kept looking over, and he'd look at them and they'd smile, and turn their backs and talk with the other people.  
  
"Who are they?" Harry asked, looking up at Sirius after the third time they did that.  
  
Sirius acted like he didn't hear him, or maybe he didn't, Harry didn't know. He just continued to stand until everyone was starting to dwindle and leave. Then two of the three people walked over. A man and a woman.  
  
"Look James!" The woman smiled, tears in her eyes, pointing at Harry. "It's Harry.."  
  
Harry winced, and looked up at Sirius, who was smiling.  
  
"Hey." He nodded, hugging the woman and shaking the man's hand. "Long time no see."  
  
"A very long time." The man, James, nodded, turning his eyes back on Harry and smiling. "You look a lot like your father."  
  
"Identical. He looked so much like Harry at this age." The woman let a tear slide down her face.  
  
"I don't think he knows who you guys are." Sirius laughed a little, and the two people smiled, embarrassed.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" The woman hugged Harry again. "I'm your grandmother."  
  
"Er.." Harry stepped back a little, then looked up at James. "And you're..my grandfather?"  
  
The two people nodded, and Harry shook his head. "No..Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon said you two were dead..I..no.."  
  
"Petunia never liked magic." James scoffed disapprovingly. "She always was jealous."  
  
Sirius' arm tightened around Harry's shoulders more protectively, afraid he might run or grab at his wand. Then he realized he didn't have his wand with him, so he relaxed a little. Harry continued to stand rigid, not knowing how to react around his grandparents.  
  
"Who's side of the family..?" Harry trailed off.  
  
"Your fathers." The woman smiled.  
  
"And your name..?" Harry asked, not caring if he sounded rude, but winced as Sirius smacked his arm.  
  
"Oh dear, sorry. I'm Sarah." She hugged her husband around the waist. "I'm so sorry I never sent any letters to you. I was hoping Sirius or Dumbledore or even Remus would say anything to you. I kind of expected Petunia to say such a thing."  
  
Harry nodded, realizing that Remus, Sirius and Dumbledore had kept that from him. After all he'd been through with the Dursley's, and all of the hurt and pain and abuse he took from them, they never once tried to get him to his grandparent's house.  
  
"We'll visit sometime. Harry and I must go though. We're expected at other places in the city. I'm sorry." Sirius bowed slightly, shaking James' hand again, and kissing the side of Sarah's face.  
  
"Take care of my boy, Sirius!" Sarah called after them. "Goodbye Harry!"  
  
Instead of walking out of the cemetary, they stopped in front of the third person. Who looked awfully familiar, but Harry couldn't place it.  
  
"Harry, this was your mom's best friend. I don't think you two have actually met, and you should know who she is." Sirius started to introduce them.  
  
"I..I don't know who she is. I've seen her somewhere..we've never met though." Harry whispered, trying to remember who she was or where he saw her.  
  
"This is Emily Granger. She's Hermione's aunt. This is who Hermione got her magic blood from." Sirius introduced them, and Harry just gave a small nod. Another thing his friends had kept from him.  
  
"Hi Harry." Emily got tears in her eyes looking at him. "I'm sure everyone says you look like your dad..but you look a lot like your mom too."  
  
Harry paused, then, "I do?"  
  
"Yeah, you do. You've got her body build. She was tall and thin, very pale." Emily said quietly.  
  
"Forgive him." Sirius smacked Harry's arm again. "He's grieving over another death, other than the Dursley's. He's not really all here."  
  
"I'm here." Harry defended, but shut up as Sirius jerked him slightly.  
  
"I understand." Emily smiled, and opened her arms for a hug. Harry stepped into the embrace rigidly, but hugged her back.  
  
"We must be going though, I'm terribly sorry. We need to keep in touch though. Maybe we'll visit soon." Sirius excused them, and they left. Once they were far enough from the cemetary, and Sirius loosened his grip on Harry, Harry ran. He ran as fast as he could away from Sirius. Harry hated him.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"Good afternoon, Headmaster! What can I do for you today?" Remus Lupin asked, grinning as Dumbledore walked into the classroom as students started walking in and sitting down, Ron and Hermione part of the small group.  
  
"You didn't by chance, tell Mr. Potter about James and Sarah, did you?" Dumbledore asked, trying to stay quiet.  
  
"Well, no sir. I thought you or Sirius would say something, I was sure of it." Lupin answered slowly.  
  
"I know I didn't. I thought it would be in yours or Sirius' best interest to tell Harry instead, since you were so close to the family." Dumbledore turned to Hermione. "Ms. Granger, does Harry know about your aunt?"  
  
Hermione paused. "I don't know, he's never said anything to me. I didn't think to tell him, because he has his photo album and Aunt Emily's in there, so I thought he asked Sirius or you two."  
  
"Which means.." Remus trailed off as Dumbledore thought of all the possibilities.  
  
"If he breaks down, Sirius is there." Dumbledore said after a moment, most of the students in the classroom.  
  
"He can't handle Harry himself." Remus shook his head. "I'll have Snape come teach the class."  
  
Ron and Hermione watched as Remus left the classroom quickly, his wardrobe changing into muggle clothes on the way out. Dumbledore turned and walked over to Hermione.  
  
"Why was your aunt at the funeral?"  
  
"She said to see Harry and his grandparents again.."  
  
"And why were his grandparents there I wonder.." Dumbledore trailed off, thinking.  
  
"Because Harry would be there." Ron shrugged as Snape entered, his black coat floating in behind him.  
  
"Good afternoon, Headmaster. Children, take your seats!" Snape demanded, walking up to Lupin's desk and going through the notes, shaking his head.  
  
"I'll leave you to your class." Dumbledore bowed out of the room, and Snape turned to the class.  
  
"Are you telling me, that for the past week and a half, you've done nothing except notes? No magic whatsoever?" Snape asked, but nobody dared to move. "Longbottom, am I correct?"  
  
Neville stared up at Snape nervously, and nodded slightly.  
  
"Answer me!" Snape yelled, causing half of the class to jump.  
  
"Y - yes sir." Neville cowarded back, shaking slightly.  
  
"Well then, " Snape paused, thinking. "We're going to learn the countercurse for the Carnacious Curse today. Granger, Weasley, do you know what this curse is?"  
  
"I've heard of it.." Ron trailed off as Hermione nodded.  
  
"Granger, what is it?" Snape asked, his eyes staring right into hers.  
  
"It..it kills the victim." Hermione started slowly, thinking about it. "Depending on how loudly the curse is said, it can kill anywhere from an hour after it is said, or a year. So if it's yelled, the person dies faster."  
  
"Correct. Why aren't any of you writing this down? First notes, then demnostrations class!" Snape sneered, glaring at everyone in the classroom, his eyes landing on Draco. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy, tell me, what are the rules to the countercurse?"  
  
"Rules?" Draco asked, a small smirk on his face. "Rules for a countercurse?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, there are some countercurses that have rules. You'd know that if you studied!" Snape's fist hit the counter. "Ms. Granger, what are the rules?"  
  
"A friend has to perform the countercurse. No one related to them, including grandparents, siblings, parents, Godparents, Secret Keepers and other relatives can say it. If the person has no friends, they're as good as dead."  
  
"Right, and the symptoms of this curse, Mr. Crabbe?" Snape turned his head to Crabbe and Goyle.  
  
"How the hell should I know?" He asked, glaring at Snape.  
  
"15 points from Slytherin for using inappropriate language while answering a teacher!" Snape stood straight up, turning back to Hermione. "Ms. Granger?"  
  
Hermione stopped to think about the symptoms. There were quite a few. "Uh..the cursed person spends a lot of time alone, by themselves. The closer they get to their death, the more angrier they get, and they threaten others around them. They sometimes hear voices of the past, if the curse was strong enough, and visions appear from experiences that never happened."  
  
"25 points to Gryffindor!" Snape roared as Hermione nudged Ron slightly, her jaw trembling and tears in her eyes.  
  
"Harry.."  
  
Snape ignored what she had said and turned to Neville. "Mr. Longbottom, how does the person who is cursed die?"  
  
"T - they k - kill themsselves." Neville stuttered, still shaking.  
  
"Another 10 points to Gryffindor because Mr. Longbottom remembered something for once!" Snape turned his back on the class, then turned back around, holding his wand. "Now, when you do it in this classroom, only blue sparks will fly out from the wand, since no one in here shoulder have this curse." Snape turned and pointed it at Draco. "Alacarnious!" A few blue sparks flew out, but nothing else happened. "Now you try."  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
Harry ran down a dirt road, ignoring Sirius' yells after him. He ran as fast as he could, but he was tired. Angry tears blurred his vision, his bangs falling into his eyes. There wasn't anyone around anymore. Ten minutes ago, people on the streets, obviously wizards, would whisper and point and say, "Look, it's Harry Potter!" Some even bowed. Then he'd hear the, "Sirius Black!" And he knew Sirius wasn't far behind. Now, on the dirt road, he heard Sirius stop running. He started to slow down, when Sirius apparated in front of him, his arms opened, and Harry fell into them, by either accident or on purpose, Sirius had no clue. He held Harry as he sobbed and tried to get out of his arms, and eventually gave up.  
  
"What's your problem Harry?" Sirius asked, and Harry pounded on Sirius' chest angrily. "Huh? Why were you so rude to your grandparents and Emily?"  
  
"Because I don't know who they are!" Harry yelled into Sirius' jacket, his tears not stopping. "Do you know how hard it is, knowing nothing about yourself or your family while everyone else does? I walk down the street and people turn and point at me. People talk about my father constantly, but I never met him. Hermione knows more about my family's past than I do. Everyone's known Hermione and Emily were related, and Emily was best friends with my mom. And no one told me! You know my grandparents were alive! You and Remus knew, and you never told me."  
  
Sirius held Harry tightly, upset that he'd done this to Harry. Of course he'd be upset when he found out.  
  
"I suffered abuse from Uncle Vernon, when I could've run off to live with my grandparents." Harry froze, his tears and sobs immediately stopping.  
  
"What?" Sirius asked, pulling back, staring down at Harry. "Abuse? That..that man, he hurt you?"  
  
"No." Harry shook his head quickly, trying to hug Sirius.   
  
"Harry, this is serious!" Sirius stepped back from Harry's arms. "He gave you that bruise on your face, didn't he?"  
  
"No, I got in a fight with Dudley..and.." Harry trailed off.  
  
"If you got in a physical fight with anyone, you're allowed to use your magic to defend yourself, of course." Sirius shook his head. "He hurt you. I can't believe it. Harry.."  
  
Sirius grabbed Harry's arms carefully, afraid to hurt him, and hugged him again. "Why didn't you tell us, or Dumbledore? Telling Snape would've helped enough. We wouldn't have told your Uncle anything, and -"  
  
"He's dead now, what's the point?" Harry asked, his voice muffled as he took shaky breaths.  
  
"The point is, you've been so upset the past 3 months, and everyone just assumed it was because of Cedric and the Tournament. I wish you would've said something to me Harry. Oh God." Sirius squeezed Harry tighter, trying to stop himself from shaking, and Harry hugged back.  
  
"I'm okay Sirius." Harry whispered. "I'm fine."  
  
They stood there for a while, until they heard a voice behind them.  
  
"There you two are! I've looked all over bloody London for you!" Remus yelled, running up to the two. "Is everything okay?"  
  
"Everything's fine." Sirius ran his hand over Harry's head, pulling away and looking up at Remus, shaking his head slightly. "Let's get outta here. Want some butterbeer?"  
  
Harry shrugged, and the three started walking toward the city silently, Sirius' right arm around Harry's shoulders, and his left arm around Remus' shoulders. Harry broke the silence.  
  
"Sirius, when Christmas Holiday comes up, could Ron and Hermione come over to your house?"  
  
"Sure, they can come to our house, if their parents are okay with it and all." Sirius nodded, smiling over at Remus.  
  
"And Fred and George?" Harry asked, looking up at Sirius, a small smile on his face.  
  
"Of course, if they aren't afraid of me." Sirius winked, and Harry shook his head, smiling brightly.  
  
"They aren't afraid of anything, I don't think." Harry thought about it. "And my girlfriend can come?"  
  
"You have a girlfriend?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow in Sirius' direction, who gave the same look back to him.  
  
"No, but it's a nice thought." Harry shrugged, smiling as Remus chuckled.  
  
"Ah, but Mr. Potter sir is a very sweet and him is very attractive." Remus imitated Dobby, causing Harry to start laughing loudly. "And Mr. Black sir is such a loser. Why is Mr. Harry Potter friends with such a nerd?"  
  
"Because he loves me." Sirius laughed quietly as the three entered the city, a comfortable silence falling over them.  
  
"So, Harry, who do you have your eyes set on at school?" Sirius asked, breaking the silence as they turned onto a main street.  
  
"Nobody." Harry shrugged, sighing.  
  
"Really?" Sirius looked at Remus. "Why not Hermione?"  
  
Harry made a face and let out a couple chuckles, before laughing out loud. "Hermione?! Ha, she's got her heart in Viktor Krum's hands. I'd like to keep it that way."  
  
"What about.." Remus trailed off, thinking over his students. "Millicent Bulstrode?"  
  
"Yeah, right, she's so fine." Harry snorted. "I used to like this one girl.."  
  
"And..what happened? Lesbian?" Sirius asked, and Remus hit him upside the head, tossing a look at him. "What? The kid's 15, I'm sure he knows all about it. I did when I was his age."  
  
"No, she went to the Yule Ball with Cedric." Harry sighed as they entered the Leaky Cauldron. Sirius gave a nod to the back of the bar, and Tom nodded, following them to show them to Hogsmeade.  
  
"Nobody else though, huh?" Remus asked. "Cause I know Ginny Weasley has a thing for you.."  
  
Harry paused, grinning. "Maybe I'll get with Draco."   
  
"Oh yes. That pale face is very sexy." Sirius laughed as they entered Hogsmeade, then turned left to go to the Three Broomsticks.  
  
The conversation dropped as they entered the Three Broomsticks, and they found a seat. Remus looked across the table at Harry, then at Sirius.  
  
"Hey, Harry, we have the Dueling Classes starting up next week." He said, trying to interest Harry in school.  
  
"Really?" Harry looked up, his eyes sparkling. "I love those classes."  
  
"I know you do." Remus smiled back. "If you want to stay, we'll get you started up on some pretty tough spells."  
  
Harry frowned slightly. "Snape's already tried this with me."  
  
"Tried what?" Remus' smile faded, trying to look innocent.  
  
"Remus, really, I'm not stupid. I'm not up for learning that crap right now." Harry sighed unhappily, and Sirius pushed Harry's head slightly.  
  
"Mind your mouth." He whispered.  
  
"Oh let the boy go. He's fine." Remus grinned, changing the topic. "I'm still stuck on the girlfriend thing. You know who's interested?"  
  
"I don't need a girlfriend." Harry's mouth turned into a twisted smile. "Why do I need one if I've got you and sexy Draco?"  
  
"You know who's interested, besides Ginny? I heard her talking about you the day after you went missing." Luping asked, raising an eyebrow, his gray hair falling in his eyes.  
  
"No..do I want to know?"  
  
"Her name's Clara." Harry gave a confused look. "Clara Neilson."  
  
"Neilson's kid? Zach?" Sirius laughed uncontrollably, their drinks arriving. "Oh dear."  
  
"Who's he?"  
  
"He was our Neville at school." Remus laughed. "Clara's a Ravenclaw, very pretty. Talk to her sometime. You never know.." Remus gave a wicked grin. "She's playing seeker this year. I've seen her practicing, she's pretty damn good. Watch out for her, she might try to take you out."  
  
Harry's smile faded completely and he looked at the table. "I quit."  
  
"What?" Sirius asked, choking on his butterbeer. "Why? Your better than James was!"  
  
"I feel like Quidditch isn't important right now. I'd feel safer in the crowd than above it." Harry shrugged, looking past Remus and out the window in the street, where a familiar face was staring at him. It was familiar, he was in Harry's House, but barely ever spoke to the guy. Harry nodded and smiled at him, and he quickly turned and walked off. Sirius and Remus didn't seem to notice this, but talked among themselves. Harry watched the retreating figure of Justin Finch-Flethley. 


	6. Truth and Countercurses

font face="verdana"font size="2"  
  
"I thought you were taking him to St. Mungo's!" Remus yelled angrily, pacing his office, then looking up at Sirius.  
  
"For one thing, you didn't iwant/i me to take Harry there to begin with, so don't get so pissed!" Sirius yelled back, standing up to his friend. "And for another thing, you saw how happy he was. He was so happy today. Well, after you showed up and got his mind off of everything."  
  
"But..just.." Remus shook his head, falling into his chair behind his desk, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I was all ready to help you bring him there."  
  
"Why are you acting like you want him there?" Sirius asked suspiciously.  
  
"I thought about what you said, and I know where you're coming from when you say he needs help. He's not imental/i, but he does need help sorting out his feelings and all that. Then backing out on your plan kind of disappointed me I guess. I want him better as much as you do, and I know that happiness won't last for the rest of the school year."  
  
"We're going home after my trial, Remus. Then, maybe, he can see James' room, and yours of course. I destroyed Peter's." Sirius' face twisted into a frown and scowl at the mention of Peter's name. "And maybe that will help him relax and talk to me, and help him. If not, then I'll take him to St. Mungo's."  
  
Remus nodded slightly, watching Sirius. He knew Sirius very well, and he knew that something else was bothering him. His brow was creased in thought, and he kept clenching his fists.  
  
"Is there something else bothering you, Sirius?" Remus asked, leaning forward casually, dropping his arms on his desk.  
  
Sirius looked up, contemplating whether he should say or not. "If I say, we can't do anything about it, and you mustn't tell Dumbledore or anyone. This is between you and I, okay?" Remus nodded. "No, you have to promise me."  
  
"I promise." Remus said quietly, very aware that Sirius looked upset.  
  
"Today, on that dirt road, Harry just broke down crying and letting it all out, which is probably why he was so happy today. But anyway, he was talking about how he couldn't believe we never said anything about his grandparents or Emily Granger." Sirius paused as Remus nodded, encouraging Sirius to continue. "Then Harry said he'd suffered abuse from his uncle."  
  
Remus' eyes got wider and he sat up straight. Sirius looked up at his friend, anger flashing in his eyes.  
  
"He was hurt?" Remus stood up, starting to pace again. "Why didn't he tell us?"  
  
"Afraid I can only assume." Sirius watched Remus pace. "We can't do anything about it, his uncle is dead."  
  
"Sirius, this is serious. No wonder he's been so upset lately. Is that why his eye was bruised?"  
  
"Remus, please, Dumbledore mustn't know about this." Sirius quietly begged his friend. "Harry's trust is the only thing keeping me going with this Azkaban thing. If you tell Dumbledore, Harry will never forgive me."  
  
"But he's been mentally scarred, Sirius! Dumbledore will have to send Harry to St. Mungo's for help and therapy." Remus argued, going toward the door.  
  
"Remus, don't make me hurt you. Don't even." Sirius growled, pulling out his wand, and Remus turned around, his wand drawn. "You promised me you wouldn't tell. You're breaking that promise and losing my trust."  
  
"Don't you see, Sirius? I'm doing this for his own good." Remus whispered sadly. "Expelliarmus!"  
  
Sirius' wand flew from his hand and landed on the floor, then Remus said, "Accio Wand." The wand flew into Lupin's awaiting hand.  
  
"You're losing Harry's trust. You're losing James' trust." Sirius whispered quietly.  
  
"No, you're wrong there Sirius. You told me yourself, James wouldn't want his kid sick. He also wouldn't want his kid abused and then not getting any help for it."  
  
With that, Remus Lupin left the office, leaving Sirius in the office. Sirius walked slowly to the door, made sure no one was in the hallway, and rushed to the Gryffindor Tower. Once inside, he hurried up the stairs, and into the dormitory. Harry was sound asleep in his bed. Sirius opened Harry's trunk, pulling out a bottle of ink, a quill, and a roll of parchment, then wrote quickly, "I've gone away, I'll be at trial, I don't know if you can come back home with me. Take care Harry, I love you." He put it on Harry's bedside table, and left, unaware that Ron was awake, watching as a single tear rolled down Sirius' face.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Harry stared at the empty space at the Gryffindor Table the next morning. He felt about as empty as the space in front of him was. Sirius just..left. After all the fun they'd had the day before, he left. Harry felt like it was all his fault too. Ron insisted it wasn't, but Harry thought otherwise. Hermione was saying the same as Ron, but she didn't know why he left either. Ron stayed quiet about seeing Sirius, knowing it'd only upset Harry more. The fact that Sirius had said, "I don't know if you came come back home with me" upset Harry more than anything else ever had.  
  
"Where am I going to live now?" Harry asked, looking up at Hermione and Ron, who sat across from him today.  
  
"If Sirius isn't back by the end of the school year, you can stay with us." Ron gave a smile. "Mom would love another kid around."  
  
"Or stay with us." Hermione added. "My parents would love to meet you again."  
  
"Thanks for the offers.." Harry sighed and trailed off, then stood up from the table.  
  
"Harry, you need to eat." Ron said, and Harry waved him off and walked over to Fred and George, who were whispering and talking, then stopped when Harry walked up to them.  
  
"Hey." Harry said quietly, sitting down across from them, and they remained silent. Harry put the note in front of the twins, and watched them read it.  
  
"So..what's this about?" George asked, finally looking up.  
  
"I don't know, I was hoping you knew." Harry sighed, putting his head ontop of his arms, which were folded on the table.  
  
Fred put a hand on Harry's back and patted it. "He'll be back, don't worry."  
  
"He won't be back." Harry said into the table. "He's like the father I never had. And..he just..left.."  
  
Harry raised his head from the table, resting his chin on his arms, staring at the twins. "Who's on the team?"  
  
"Oh, well uh..Seamus Finnigin is the new Keeper." George said quietly. "And the new Chaser is Dean."  
  
"And the seeker..?"  
  
"Well, see, Harry dear, this is our problem..no one tried out for seeker." Fred sighed, and Harry stared at him.  
  
"Liar." Harry rolled his eyes.  
  
"Okay okay, two people tried out, and they were bloody horrible." George shook his head, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"And you want me to fix this how?" Harry asked, then shook his head as the twins stared at him hopefully. "No, I can't you guys.."  
  
"Why not Harry? You know nothing will happen to you up there. Besides, no one will be able to touch you, you're so quick." Fred tried to reason.  
  
"Fred, George, I'm way behind in my classwork. Practices start in the next couple weeks, and I wouldn't be able to stay up in my studies. Plus Sirius and everything that's going on.."  
  
"You don't have to go to all of the practices. I mean, all you do is fly and hover up there, looking for the snitch. If you're really having trouble in classes, we'll cut you some slack and let you study or whatever instead of practice." Fred half pleaded.  
  
Harry sighed, studying the two. Maybe flying and playing would help him out. "What if I start hearing screams again?"  
  
"You won't Harry, I know you won't. Please, just come back to the team." George whispered as people started to leave to go to their classes.  
  
"If I come back..you have to help me with my classes and everything, okay?" Harry asked after a moment.  
  
Fred and George jumped up and jumped across the table to the other side, ignoring the scolding from the Prefects and the Professors and hugged Harry tightly. They ruffled his hair, grinning widely.  
  
"We're going to win this year Harry!" George hugged him again as everyone who was remaining from Gryffindor stood up and whistled, clapped and whatnot. Harry smiled, glad he made Fred and George happy, and probably everyone else from Gryffindor. The happiness soon faded though.  
  
"Mr. Potter, please come with me to my office." Dumbledore said, his eyes dull and no longer sparkling from happiness. Professor Lupin was behind him.  
  
"Why?" He asked, not wanting to leave. He just wanted to go to a full class.  
  
"Don't ask questions! Follow me I said!" Dumbledore half yelled, and everyone got extremely silent. Dumbledore inever/i yelled. Harry glanced at Lupin, who wouldn't look him in the eyes, then at Fred and George, who were looked at eachother and Lee curiously. Harry followed the two Professors, wondering what he'd done to make Dumbledore so upset. Maybe Sirius had told Dumbledore something. Or Lupin. But what, Harry couldn't think of.  
  
The walk to Dumbledore's office wasn't fast or eventfull. Dumbledore walked swiftly and silently, and Lupin seemed to be mumbling something behind Harry. Harry just didn't want to slow down to figure out what he was mumbling. They stood in front of the gargoyle, and Harry was so deep in his thoughts, he didn't hear the password. They walked into the office.  
  
"Sit down Mr. Potter, Professor Lupin." Dumbledore pointed to the chairs, then sat down in his chair at his desk, folding his hands on his desk and looking at Harry for a couple minutes. "Is there anything you want to tell me, Harry?"  
  
Harry looked at him, confused. "Not that I know of.."  
  
"Professor Lupin was telling me that your uncle gave you that bruise." Dumbledore said softly, and Harry's face paled. Sirius had told on him.  
  
"That's why Sirius left." Harry whispered, turning to Lupin. "You..I can't believe you told on me!"  
  
"Harry, listen to me." Dumbledore said fiercly, stopping Harry. "Don't be angry at Remus or Sirius. They were right to tell that. Why you didn't tell anyone before now is understandable to a certain level."  
  
"I trusted you." Harry's eyes filled with angry tears as he glared at Remus. "I trust you and Sirius! I can't believe you'd do this to me."  
  
"It's for your own good Harry." Remus said sadly.  
  
"Yesterday afternoon was the most fun I think I've ever had. And now Sirius is gone, and I don't have a home anymore!" Harry yelled, putting his head ontop of his arms on Dumbledore's desk, crying silently.  
  
"Sirius is gone?" Dumbledore asked, glancing at Remus slightly.  
  
"I don't know where he is. He said he doesn't think I can stay with him anymore." Harry whispered, relieved someone had found out about his uncle, but still angry that it'd gotten to Dumbledore.  
  
Remus put a hand on Harry's back carefully. When Harry didn't shrug it off, he began to speak.  
  
"He left because I betrayed his trust. He knew you'd be asked about it, so he left so you wouldn't get angry with him."  
  
"Well I am angry with him." Harry sniffed. "I'm angry that he just..left."  
  
"He's going to have to be at his trial. He'll be there Harry, and I'll take him back with me." Dumbledore said softly in a caring tone. "I'm glad your out of your uncle's house Harry. No one deserves to be hit."  
  
Harry nodded, but didn't lift his head.  
  
"And Harry, if you think you need help, that's always okay." Dumbledore added. "If you want to leave school to get help, you can."  
  
"I know." Harry wiped his eyes and looked up. "I just want to be in a home that can be mine, ya know? Now Sirius is gone. Staying at the Weasley's doesn't give me the attention I think I need."  
  
"We understand that." Remus said softly. "You'll be able to stay with Sirius, I promise."  
  
"What if he doesn't want me?"  
  
"Oh, Harry! Don't say that. He escaped Azkaban to save you and to help you. He loves you very much." Remus smiled a little. "Don't ever forget that."  
  
"If he loves me so much, why did he leave last night?"  
  
"Because, Harry, he felt like you wouldn't love him anymore after he betrayed your trust." Dumbledore said, smiling a little too. "He's a great man for doing that."  
  
"He's a great man for leaving me when I need him the most?!" Harry half yelled angrily.  
  
Dumbledore sighed, smiling. Harry sighed too, nodding and accepting what Dumbledore had said.  
  
"You should go to class, Harry, if you want to play Quidditch." Dumbledore smiled brightly, his eyes twinkling, and Harry nodded sadly. "Oh, and Harry, you should talk to Mr. Malfoy."  
  
Harry paused as he was standing up. "Talk to Malfoy? Why?"  
  
"You never know when your enemies can become your friends." Dumbledore smiled, his eyes sparkling mischeviously.  
  
"But he's in Slytherin and he's a Malfoy!"  
  
"And you're in Gryffindor and a Potter." Dumbledore shot back.  
  
Harry sighed and nodded, turning to leave the room.  
  
"Oh, and Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked, and Harry turned back around. "You'll need this." Dumbledore handed Harry his wand, and Harry thanked him quietly.  
  
He had to think about what Dumbledore said, because it had one of those 'secret meanings' in it. So what if Draco had been nice to him everytime they saw eachother. That didn't mean that once everything got better, he'd turn into his old self, laughing and making fun of Hermione, Ron and Harry. Harry turned the corner, entering a new hallway, getting closer to the Potions classroom. Standing next to the boy's bathroom was Draco, his arms folded and he stood rigid. Harry walked past him, and Draco fell into step beside him.  
  
"Hey." Draco said uncomfortably.  
  
"Hey." Harry laughed quietly to himself at his uncomfortableness.  
  
"I just wanted to say sorry. I know I've been a prick the past 4 years, and it's just because of my dad and everything. That first day on the train, when I was saying you should be with the right crowd, I guess I should've meant I should be with the right crowd." Draco said quietly, rubbing his right arm.  
  
"I know." Harry said and Draco shoved him lightly.  
  
"Cocky bastard." Draco laughed a little. "Do you accept my apology?"  
  
"Well, 4 years of being a prick is a long time, and that's kind of hard to forget. And you just shoved me.." Harry trailed off as Draco sighed. "But yeah, I forgive you. Not fully, but ya know, earn my trust in you I suppose."  
  
Draco nodded as they stopped next to the Potions classroom. "We have to make Snape's life miserable together, okay?"  
  
"Now?" Harry looked into the classroom cautiously, seeing Snape's back turned to the class.  
  
"Not now, no. But sometime, because he's been a prick too." Draco smirked, entering the classroom, Harry behind him. They took their seats as Snape turned around.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy, walking into class, tardy and itogether/i?" He asked, glancing at Ron and Hermione, nodding at them as they got their wands ready. "What were you two doing?"  
  
"Nothing." Draco shrugged. "Talking."  
  
"So you'd rather be tardy to class so you could talk, than be on time and be enemies?" Snape asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I have no idea what that means." Harry smiled a little, and Snape focused on him.  
  
Snape knew Harry was cursed. And he knew what he was cursed with. The question was, was he hiding the fact that he was trying to hurt himself by smiling and joking, or was he fighting it off inside?  
  
"20 points from Gryffindor for talking back to a teacher, and 15 more from Gryffindor for being tardy." Snape sneered as Hermione and Ron stood up in the back of the classroom, their wands drawn as they slowly walked towards Harry.  
  
"What? I was talking to Dumbledore!" Harry argued, standing up, reaching in his pocket for his wand.  
  
"Another 10 points from Gryffindor for arguing with a teacher, and 5 taken for not using Professor when speaking about our Headmaster!" Snape sneered, as Harry pointed his wand at him.  
  
"Take that back!" He yelled angrily, and Snape nodded slightly.  
  
"iAlacarnacious/i!" Ron and Hermione yelled together, and blue streaks of light flew from their wands, hitting Harry and wrapping around his body. Harry screamed in pain, falling to the floor and writhing around. Students stood to see what was happening.  
  
"Students, sit!" Snape demanded, and the students obeyed.  
  
Ron and Hermione ignored the screams of pain coming from Harry the best they could. They knew they were hurting him, but they also knew they had to save him, and this was the only way. Inside, they could feel themselves growing weaker as the countercurse helped Harry. For what seemed like an hour this went on, until Harry's body only twitched and he whimpered, the blue streaks unwrapping from his body, and Ron and Hermione collapsing into chairs next to the desk.  
  
"Well done well done." Snape clapped as everyone else in the classroom remained frozen. "Malfoy, go tell Madame Pomfrey we need her assistance. Everyone else, class is dismissed for the day."  
  
Everyone left the room quickly and silently until they got out into the hallway. Snape watched Harry, who remained on the floor, breathing heavily and twitching still. Ron and Hermione had their heads on the desk as they fought off the urge to fall asleep. Proud with himself, Snape sat down and waited for the nurse to get into the classroom. 


	7. Vision Charms

Harry stood in the fountain, looking around. Bodies were everywhere. It was some kind of cemetary, but..no graves. He walked carefully around the floating bodies, glancing at the people's faces, trying to recognize anyone. They were mostly kids from school. He saw Professor Sprout and Hagrid. How the hell did they manage to kill Hagrid? Harry swallowed the thick lump in his throat and continued walking. He saw the Weasley twins floating, their faces down in the water. He knew it was them, their bright red hair and tall statue gave it away. A tear silently rolled down his face. Water dropped down from above him, a thin wall of mist around him as he continued walking. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were also there, their dead eyes staring up at Harry accusingly. Harry bit his bottom lip, tears blurring his vision more as he came upon Ron and Hermione, and behind them, Sirius.  
  
"No!" Harry screamed, falling to his knees, his robes getting soaked from the water. "Oh God, no."  
  
Sirius shook Harry as Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore tried to pry Sirius away from the boy. Harry was screaming and writhing around, lifting himself off of the bed and falling back down. Sirius tried to pull his arms away, trying to get to Harry.  
  
"Get off me!" Sirius growled at Dumbledore, continuing to twist his arms and body from Dumbledore.  
  
"Sirius, leave him alone. He's fine." Dumbledore pulled Sirius away from Harry as Madame Pomfrey placed a hand on Harry's forehead, brushing his hair back, trying to relax him. Harry's body seized up as he continued to scream and yell, making Sirius try harder to get away from Dumbledore. Madame Pomfrey tried to pour a potion down Harry's throat, only making Harry choke and thrash around more.  
  
"I said get off of me!" Sirius yelled, finally pulling away from Dumbledore and sitting next to Harry, putting a hand on his forehead. "He needs medicine or something, he's ill."  
  
"I know that, please get away from my patient." Madame Pomfrey put her hands on her hips, glancing at Ron and Hermione, who were still fast asleep, then at Emily Granger and Mrs. Weasley, who were watching, frightened.  
  
Sirius ignored her, stroking Harry's head and holding him down around his waist. Slowly, Harry stopped shaking and moving, relaxing into his bed. Madame Pomfrey took this time to give Harry the potions, then watching him for a moment before leaving. Sirius continued stroking Harry's face until Dumbledore spoke.  
  
"You do not disrespect me or anyone in this school. If you are given orders to stay away from Harry, then you do it." He said calmly.  
  
"Sir, Albus, he is my Godson. I will do whatever I please to try and comfort him when he needs to be comforted. That idiot nurse almost choked and killed him! I wasn't going to stand by and watch that!" Sirius growled angrily, staring at Dumbledore, his eyes flashing.  
  
"I understand that Sirius, but you never, ever, disrespect anyone the way you disrespected me." Dumbledore turned and left the room.  
  
"Whatever." Sirius whispered, sitting back and watching Harry sleep until someone placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and gave a small smile to Mrs. Weasley.  
  
"I would've done the same for Ron." She said quietly. "It's different for people who don't have their own kids to understand what it's like, watching their children suffer."  
  
Sirius nodded, glad someone understood where he was coming from. Harry was important to him.  
  
"If you want to get some rest, I'll watch Harry. You've got trial in the afternoon, so you should be rested up." Mrs. Weasley said, her hand still on his shoulder.  
  
"How long is he going to be out like this?" Sirius asked quietly, ignoring what she had said. "It's been days, and he wasn't even awake just now."  
  
"Ron and Hermione should wake up tomorrow. That's what Madame Pomfrey says anyway. That sleeping potion she gave him will keep him asleep until probably tomorrow night or the next morning." Mrs. Weasley answered, just as quietly.  
  
"Sirius..he's going to be okay." Emily said quietly from the other side of the room, and Sirius looked up, forgetting she was there too.  
  
"I know. It's just weird I guess." Sirius sighed, finally allowing himself to yawn.  
  
"Get some sleep." Mrs. Weasley ushered Sirius out of his chair and over to one of the empty hospital beds that had been made up for the three adults. "If anything happens to Harry, I'll let you know. But he'll be fine."  
  
Sirius nodded, smiling at the woman. He lied down and almost immediately fell asleep. After a few moments, Mrs. Weasley walked back over to Ron, looking at Emily.  
  
"He's been awake since he found out about Harry. The poor guy needs more sleep than he'll get." She said, sighing and sitting down next to her son. Moonlight spilled in from outside.  
  
"He really cares about Harry though." Emily tossed her head. "After that family he lived with the past 15 years, no wonder Harry's having nightmares."  
  
Emily sat down with Hermione, and the two women sat in silence, except for the occasional light snore from Sirius or Harry.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Harry woke up later the next afternoon, whimpering softly. His muscles and body ached like they were on fire, and he tried hard not to move, but it seemed impossible. He turned his head slightly, looking across the room at Ron, who was busy talking to his mum and eating what looked to be supper. Harry moved his head further to the right and saw Hermione, also eating and talking with her aunt while reading some get well cards. No one was sitting with Harry, and he sighed unhappily. Of course no one would be with him. Why did he think someone was?  
  
"Harry!" Ron grinned, throwing his arms up. "Glad to see you awake."  
  
"You too, I think." Harry closed his eyes tiredly. When he opened them again, Mrs. Weasley was walking over.  
  
"Dear, you should be sleeping." She shook her head unapprovingly. "Sirius should be back from trial soon. He didn't want to leave you at all this afternoon."  
  
"Sirius is back?" Harry asked, smiling brightly.  
  
"Yes yes, but he'd be quite upset if he saw you were awake instead of getting your rest." Mrs. Weasley pulled the blanket up, untangling it from his legs, making him comfortable again. "Would you like some dreamless potion?"  
  
"Uh.." Harry trailed off, closing his eyes as sleep overtook him.  
  
  
  
When Harry woke up again, he felt more awake and alert than he did the first time. He looked over and saw Sirius standing next to the window, and judging by the way the sun shone through the window, he guessed it was mid morning.  
  
"Sirius!" Harry said happily, trying to sit up, but stopped and collapsed back onto the bed in pain. Sirius strode over quickly, shaking his head.  
  
"Don't get up." He warned, and Harry nodded, smiling.  
  
Harry continued to watch as Sirius would look around the room, avoiding his eyes. Finally, Harry broke the uneasy silence. "I forgive you Sirius. The only thing I'm mad about is the fact that you just left. But you're back and I feel a lot better. Really."  
  
"I shouldn't have left. I'm sorry." Sirius sighed, finally looking at Harry in the eyes. "Why would you forgive me anyway?"  
  
"I don't have anyone else to forgive." Harry shrugged, looking around the room himself. Ron was fast asleep across the room, but Hermione wasn't. "Where's Hermione?"  
  
"She insisted she had to get her school work done and get books from the library." Sirius laughed a little. "Madame Pomfrey argued with her until Hermione just got up and left."  
  
"Wow, Hermione ignored her?" Harry grinned, picking up some of the get well cards and reading through them. Hagrid wrote one, and Harry started to feel bad. He hadn't talked to Hagrid at all since he'd gotten to Hogwarts. Hagrid wrote get well soon and come have some tea when you're better (mispelled words everywhere of course). Harry picked up another card that the Gryffindor House signed, wishing him a fast recovery. Then there were seperate cards from people in his House and people in different Houses. He picked up one and opened it.  
  
Harry -   
I don't know you very well, but I do wish you'd get better. Maybe we can hang out sometime?  
Sincerely,  
Clara  
  
Harry's grin widened and he blushed a little as Sirius read the card, laughing quietly.  
  
"So she is real." Sirius sighed, his smile still on his face. "Remus doesn't lie."  
  
Harry nodded and picked up another card, that read:  
  
Snape's going to get pissed that you're taking more time off! I don't think you can afford more points from your House.   
Anyway, get better so we can roam the school and vandalize it. Oh, and these two goons, they don't want me to mention their names, wish you to get better also. Why Crabbe and Goyle want you better, I do not know.  
-Draco  
  
"The trouble you two will get into.." Sirius trailed off, holding out his hand to shake Harry's. "Best of luck to you when Filch catches you."  
  
"Thank you my good man." Harry nodded, smiling and putting the card down. "Man, I want to eat. What time is it?"  
  
"Just before lunch." Sirius answered, looking out into the hallway. "Come on, let's go sneak out of here and eat with everyone else."  
  
Harry got out of the bed, with help from Sirius, and the two walked carefully to the door. Madame Pomfrey was busy on the other end of the room, her back to the door and the exit of the wing. Sirius beckoned Harry to follow silently, and the two snuck out of the room, Madame Pomfrey not noticing a thing. Everyone was in their classes, anxious to get to lunch, and waved and grinned when they saw Harry. The two hurried to the Gryffindor Tower so Harry could change.  
  
"I'll only be a minute." Harry said before taking off up the steps to his dormitory. His bed was covered in candies, just as Ron's was. Harry grinned and quickly got changed into some new robes and combed his hair, then jumped down the steps, meeting Sirius back in the common room.  
  
"All ready?" Sirius asked, and Harry nodded, and the two went off. They got in the hallway just as all the other classes were being dismissed for lunch. People would say hi to Harry and talk to him, telling him they were glad he was okay. Harry caught up to Hermione and the two walked, Sirius behind them, to the Great Hall.  
  
"We snuck out of the hospital wing." Harry explained when Hermione asked why he was there. "And don't give me that look. I heard about you just leaving when Madame Pomfrey told you not to."  
  
"Well that was different. I wanted to get back to my classwork. Not eat." Hermione frowned, sitting down next to Harry as Sirius walked up to the Professor's table. Food was lined up on the whole table, and before Harry could eat, Fred and George came up behind him.  
  
"Aye, you doing okay?" George asked, sitting on his right.  
  
"Yup, feeling much better." Harry turned and looked at Hermione. "Thanks."  
  
Hermione nodded, chewing her food and watching Fred and George continue talking.  
  
"Quidditch practices start soon. You need to eat up and get all buff for this season." Fred grinned, pushing Harry slightly.  
  
"Please, me, buff? Ha. I'd like to eat though, so if you don't mind.." Harry trailed off, taking a bite of his food.  
  
Fred and George nodded and left Harry alone to eat. Harry glanced up at Dumbledore, who was speaking to Sirius, smiling and nodding. Harry turned his had and saw Hagrid watching him, and he smiled and waved. Hagrid grinned back, waving a large hand. Everything seemed to be perfect. But a dark thought kept protruding into the back of his mind. Voldemort was still out there, planning his revenge against all of the wizards. Harry knew he was at the top of the list. Once Harry was out of the way, Voldemort was going to be the ruler. Harry shuddered physically, blinked, and thought of something else.   
  
Harry excused himself from his lunch a few moments later, and walked up to the Professors. Sirius was sitting next to Remus, deep in conversation, and Harry only assumed they were discussing Professor Lupin's betrayl. Harry stood in front of Snape a bit uncomfortably, and Snape watched him.  
  
"I..uh..I'm ready for outside training." Harry said quietly, and Snape nodded.  
  
"I thought you would be." Snape stood from his chair and walked over to Dumbledore, whispering something, then coming back. "If you want, the training will start next week."  
  
"Alright." Harry nodded, smiling. "Thanks."  
  
"And thank you, Mr. Potter." Snape sat back down, half bowing as he did so, and went back to his food. Harry walked over to Dumbledore, who smiled at him, his eyes sparkling.  
  
"Disobeying Madame Pomfrey already?" Dumbledore asked, his smile making Harry smile.  
  
"I think I'm ready to go back to classes today." Harry ignored the question, but continued smiling.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Pretty sure." Harry shrugged. "I don't want to sleep and lay there all day. I've slept enough I think."  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "If you want to, I don't see a problem."  
  
"Is Ron okay?" Harry asked suddenly, remembering Ron still asleep in the hospital wing. Dumbledore's smile faded a bit.  
  
"He's just quite tired. It took a lot out of him, doing that countercurse."   
  
Harry nodded, accepting the answer and turning back. He met Hermione near the entrance and the two left to go to their Dark Arts class.  
  
"I don't have any of my supplies with me.." Harry trailed off. "My wand is back in the hospital wing."  
  
"I'll let you borrow a quill and parchment if you run to get your wand. Professor Lupin will understand." Hermione said quickly, and Harry nodded, running off the opposite direction. He slid to a stop in front of the hospital wing, and pulled the door open. He rushed inside, grabbing his wand.  
  
"Harry?" He heard Ron ask, groggy.  
  
"Hey Ron." Harry picked up his wand next to his bed, and walked over next to his friend. "How're you feeling?"  
  
"Like crap." Ron squished his nose up as his mum hit the side of his head softly. "Where are you going?"  
  
"Dark Arts class. Sirius snuck me out earlier." Harry grinned. "You need to get some rest, okay? I'll come visit you later."  
  
Ron nodded, closing his eyes tiredly. Harry said goodbye to Mrs. Weasley and ran off to class. Madame Pomfrey watched Harry leave, her hands on her hips, but didn't say anything. She wasn't complaining that he was up and about. Harry ran down the hall towards the Dark Arts class as Professor Lupin was walking in.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Potter." Lupin grinned as they entered the classroom. "Glad to see you moving around."  
  
"Thanks." Harry smiled back, taking a seat next to Hermione, then whispering to her, "Ron looks like a train ran over him a good hundred times."  
  
Hermione made a disgusted face and handed him a quill and a bottle of ink, then a roll of parchment. Lupin was going through his notes, and looked up, a wicked grin on his face.  
  
"We're going to start Dueling Lessons again." He said, placing his hands behind his back and walking around his desk slowly, thinking. "Ever since that Lockhart fool was here, he gave a bad name to Dueling. We won't be learning anything extremely dangerous just yet. Professor Dumbledore and myself have decided that all students, 3 years and above, must know the basics, and classes 5 years and above learn the more challenging ones." Professor Lupin stopped in front of his classroom. "We're going to be working on a vision charm for the next couple of weeks. It will come in extremely handy if you're ever in a bad situation."  
  
Professor Lupin had his eyes locked on Harry's as he said the last line, a small smile on his face.  
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_  
  
Author's Note: I realized I never mentioned that some of these chapters might be confusing because I haven't..explained things..for a reason. Thanks for the notes, you know how happy I was to see I had like..5 new notes?! I died..if you guys want me to email you when I've posted new chapters, either leave your email addy when you leave a note, or email me at Liz@patheticmutt.com  
  
I still want notes!!! 


	8. Clara Neilson

Author's Note: If you want E~Mails as to when this story will be updated (it's updated freakin daily ANYWAY so it doesn't matter), email me at Liz@patheticmutt.com. Thanks!  
  
This story is far from over. Kinda. I'd say a little less than halfway? Whatever. I really appreciate the notes you guys, so so much! I love you (and Sean) forever!  
  
I also meant to post this earlier, like, 3 hours ago, so sorry for the wait! Merry Christmas everyone!  
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_  
  
Weeks passed and everything got back to normal. Harry had started his outside training, which really wasn't much. Quidditch practices were starting, and Fred and George had kept to their word. Everyday after classes, they'd go up to the common room, helping Harry out with his make up work and regular school work, demonstrating things (they had turned Pig into a cat), and in turn, Harry went to the Quidditch practices and helped Justin and Dean with things they needed work on. Their first match was coming faster than they'd have liked, since they're practice times were cut short because of Harry's schoolwork and whatnot.  
  
Draco, Harry and even Ron began doing small things in Potions, making Snape angry. He knew it was them, but they denied it everytime.   
  
"Now, students, this is a very precise potion. It's very hard to make. You must not mess anything up." Snape had said once, carefully adding ingredients.   
  
Ron, with much pleading from Hermione not to, took one of his brothers' new inventions and tossed it under Harry's chair. Draco smirked as the invention started popping and letting out smoke that smelled of rotten eggs.  
  
"Oh, Potter!" Draco had yelled, hiding his laughter as he covered his face with his hands. Snape had added too much finely chopped Blast - Ended Skewt skin and the potion exploded.  
  
"POTTER, MALFOY, WEASLEY! DETENTION FOR A WEEK!" Snape yelled as Harry and Ron grinned and started to laugh behind their hands.  
  
Harry was the top of most of his classes (with an exception in Potions and Divination), and he knew more about the Vision Charms than anyone else. Professor Lupin had explained for days about how the charms worked. Saying the spell would automatically make your enemy see more than 3 things of one certain person or idle object. Harry had practiced it on Snape once, when Snape hadn't been watching. Sirius scolded him, but Professor Lupin stuck up for him.  
  
"Sirius, it means he's learning! Besides, Professor Snape seemed to be a great target." Lupin had coughed, trying not to laugh, and Sirius glared at him. "Besides Sirius, we were young boys too. As I recall, you did quite a lot of damage.."  
  
Professor McGonagall didn't see it the way Lupin did. She saw it more through Sirius' point of view.  
  
"Mr. Potter, this will take you nowhere in life." She said, with her arms folded across her chest.  
  
"But.." Harry trailed off, trying to look innocent and hurt. "I just wanted to..to have fun.."  
  
"You may have fun, but not at the expense of your learning, your piers learning, and your Professor's health!" McGonagall half yelled, and Harry looked at the floor.  
  
"May I go study now?" Harry asked, biting the inside of his mouth, and McGonagall sighed, letting him go. Harry left the office and ran down the hall, catching up with Ron. "She's angry."  
  
"Man." Ron laughed, stopping. "Hey, look! That's Clara!"  
  
Harry's head snapped to the direction Ron pointed, and Clara was standing there. He'd almost completely forgotten about her. She was looking around, and when she saw he was looking at her, she smiled and waved.  
  
"Go talk to her!" Ron pushed Harry slightly.  
  
"No, Ron -"  
  
"Go! I'll meet you in the common room!" Ron took off towards the Gryffindor Tower, and Harry watched him helplessly. Sighing, he walked up to Clara.  
  
"Hi." He said quietly, and she smiled. She was a little shorter than he was (considering he'd grown about 4 or 5 inches since his first year). Her hair was a light brown, perfectly straight. Her eyes were a bright blue. Harry found it beautiful. And her smile was perfect.  
  
"Hi. I'm glad to see you're better." She smiled a little more, her eyes sparkling as she moved her hair out of her face.  
  
"Thanks. I just wanted to say, uh, thanks for the card." Harry laughed nervously to himself. "Even though I don't know you."  
  
"You're welcome." Clara blushed as she looked down at the floor, then back up into his green eyes. "What are you doing later tonight?"  
  
"What am I doing?" Harry asked, more to himself as he thought about everything he had to do.  
  
"Yeah, at about, 9:30 or 10?"  
  
"Quidditch practice ends at about 8:45. But I think that's it." Harry racked his brain but came up with nothing.  
  
"Okay! Do you want to meet me up at the tower next to the Owlery at 9:30?" She asked, her blue eyes sparkling and her smile pleading.  
  
"Sure." Harry grinned, blushing a little, surprised that she was asking him out.   
  
"I'm not a psycho either." She laughed lightly.  
  
"Oh, that's okay." Harry laughed along. "I can handle psychos pretty well I think."  
  
Clara said goodbye and left, catching up with some of her friends. Harry turned, smiling, and walked back to the Gryffindor Tower. He said the password ("You seem to be happy!" The Fat Lady smiled), and entered the common room, where Hermione and Ron were sitting on the plush velvet chairs.  
  
"Well?" Ron asked, jumping up, and grinning when he saw Harry's grin. "You asked her out?"  
  
"Hm?" Harry came out of his trance, looking at the two. "Oh, no, I didn't ask her out."  
  
Ron raised an eyebrow, staring down at Hermione, then back up at Harry.  
  
"She wants to meet me in the tower next to the Owlery tonight." Harry smirked, and Hermione's jaw dropped.  
  
"Harry! You have Quidditch Practice, and -"  
  
"Hermione, come on, he's happy." Ron kicked her lightly. "Leave him alone."  
  
"Fine." Hermione smiled. "I'm glad you've got a date."  
  
"It isn't a date..we're just gonna talk." Harry defended himself, sighing. "I better get my classwork done before supper. Have you guys seen Justin or Dean?"  
  
"Justin went upstairs a moment ago." Ron shrugged, still grinning, and sitting back down to finish his homework. "Good luck tonight."  
  
Hermione kicked Ron, knowing the meaning in the comment as Harry smirked and ran up to the dormitory. He entered the quiet room and walked over to Justin's bed, where Justin was lying on his stomach, doing his homework.  
  
"Hey." Harry sat at the foot of the bed.  
  
"What up?" Justin answered, looking behind him and smiling a little at Harry, then got back to his work.  
  
"We've got practice tonight, right?"   
  
"We always have practice on Thursdays." Justin's brow creased in a scowl, throwing it over his shoulder at Harry. "Why?"  
  
"No reason. I'll see you tonight." Harry jumped off the bed and walked over to his trunk, pulling out his ink bottle, quill and some parchment and went back downstairs. He dropped his belongings on the table, then went back up for his books. Once he was settled in, he opened his text book for Magical Creatures.  
  
"I swear, why does Hagrid insist we need books for this?" Ron asked, dropping his stuff on the other side of Harry. "I mean, all we do is feed and learn about these creatures. So why do we need books? Hagrid is our book."  
  
Harry shrugged, turning some pages in his book, then sighed. "I'm just writing whatever sounds good. He won't take points from us anyway. He'll just lecture us on what's wrong with out answer."  
  
"Good thinking." Ron opened his book and started doing the same as Harry, and within moments their work was done. "What next? Predict our future for Trelawny's class?"  
  
"I don't have much of a future to predict anymore." Harry scowled. "And she knows that." He added a moment later.  
  
"Just say you're going to save all of you favorite friends and leave the Professor's to die in your future." Ron shrugged, and Harry looked up.  
  
"Why would I do that?"  
  
"I don't know! It's just a prediction. It won't really happen.." Ron trailed off, and images flashed through Harry's mind from a nightmare he'd had. All of the floating bodies. Harry shuddered and went back to looking through his work.  
  
"Why do we have to write an essay about Vision Charms?" Harry sighed, looking back up at Ron.   
  
"To see if we actually know what we're doing. You, Malfoy and Hermione are probably the only ones who know how to do it." Ron's eyes dropped back down to his paper.  
  
"It isn't hard. Here, " Harry stood up, holding his wand, and pointed it at Ron. "Descry Harry!"  
  
Ron blinked as about 4 or 5 Harry's came into his vision.  
  
"I really wish you wouldn't do that." Ron rubbed his eyes uncomfortably.  
  
"It'll go away in a moment." Harry sat back down, setting down his wand. Ron continued to rub his eyes and blink, then he focused on the one Harry he saw.  
  
Ron stood up, holding out his wand. "Descry Books!"   
  
Harry sighed and looked up, then grabbed Ron's wand. He held it for a moment, then flicked it toward a bookshelf. The books all fell onto the floor.  
  
"It works." Harry shrugged, handing the wand back. "Try saying it with more force and anger."  
  
"But I'm not angry." Ron whined. "At you anyway."  
  
Ron stood back, then with more force he yelled, "Descry Books!"  
  
Harry grinned up at Ron as the charm took over. Ron dropped his wand, excited. Harry blinked and rubbed his eyes, looking down at the different visions of the books.  
  
"It worked! Hermione! IT WORKED!" Ron yelled happily, and Hermione looked up, smiling.  
  
"Good job Ron! I knew it'd work." Hermione said, then went back to her work.  
  
Ron sat back down, ready to write his essay with Harry.   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
That night after Quidditch Practice, Harry ran into the common room and up the stairs to take a shower. Ron was sitting with Neville as they talked, and they both watched as Harry quickly showered.  
  
"He's got a date." Ron smirked, and Neville's eyes got wide.  
  
"With who?" He asked, looking back at the closed washroom door.  
  
"Clara Neilson." Ron answered as the shower was turned off. "But shh, don't say anything."  
  
Neville's eyebrow was raised questioningly, but went back into conversation with Ron moments later. Harry came out 5 minutes after the two started talking again, his wet bangs clinging to his forehead.  
  
"Oh, Harry's lookin sexy." Dean smirked, walking up into the dormitory, Justin close behind as they dropped off their brooms.  
  
"Shut up." Harry scowled, trying to hide his blush as he walked past everyone. "I'll see you guys later."  
  
"Ohh! Later!" Justin cooed, and Harry shot him a look as he left. He walked down the steps back into the common room and saw Hermione waiting for him.  
  
"Are you going to tease me too?" He asked, his hands on his hips as he slowed down next to her.  
  
"Me? Tease you?" She asked innocently, and she gave him a hug, much to his surprise.  
  
"What was that for?" He asked when she pulled back.  
  
"Oh, George and Fred said to do that." She grinned, then lifted her right arm to touch his hair and fix it so it covered his scar. "There."  
  
Harry grinned and hugged her quickly. "Thanks, I owe you."  
  
Hermione smiled as he left. Quidditch practice had run late, by 45 minutes. He had just enough time (15 minutes) to shower, dress and make it to the tower. Clara would understand - she played on the Ravenclaw team. Harry slowed down as he neared the Owlery, and climbed the steps of the tower next to it. It was already dark, with the stars sparkling in the sky beautifully. Harry looked out the windows on the way up, and when he got to the platform, he smiled.   
  
"Sorry I'm late." He said quietly, suddenly getting nervous.  
  
"Oh, it's okay." Clara smiled, waving him over to sit next to her. "I talked to Dean. He said you guys ran late."  
  
"Yeah." Harry nodded, sitting next to her. Dean had talked to her. What if Dean had said something? "So..howcome you wanted to meet me up here?"  
  
"Well, I've been really nervous to come talk to you. George Weasley had said a couple times that you're really nervous talking to girls." Clara laughed quietly, and Harry blushed. "So he suggested I come talk to you. And it worked. I really like you, and I want to get to know you."  
  
Harry's smile brightened as she said that. The only person he'd ever liked was Cho, and now that Cedric was dead, he knew she thought it was his fault. So she never talked to him.  
  
"I'm glad you did talk to me. You're very pretty." Harry said softly, surprised that he was saying that, but sighed when she smiled and blushed. "Sorry if this sounds rude, but we've never talked before..howcome you like me?"  
  
Clara shrugged, looking outside. "I've been watching you probably since the first day of 1st year. I just thought you were really cute. Then when you pretty much saved us all that year, I really fell for you." She laughed again. "Then after 2nd year, it didn't get much better. After the TriWizard Tournament, when you came back from.." She trailed off. "I was upset that I hadn't talked to you before then."  
  
"You should've talked to me before then." Harry smiled, relaxing. "I wouldn't have been a jerk or anything."  
  
"Oh, I know that." She smiled up at him. "I was just scared, like I said. Then you disappeared after the beginning of this year. I ended up telling my friends that I couldn't believe I never even said hi to you."  
  
"Yeah.." Harry trailed off. "Remus, er, Professor Lupin was telling me he heard you."  
  
"When did he tell you that?" She looked up, pretending to be hurt, but her eyes sparkled in silent laughter.  
  
"The day of the Dursley's funeral." Harry shrugged.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry about that. I heard from some Gryffindors -"  
  
"No, really, it's okay." Harry laughed, holding up his hands. "I wasn't all that upset over it. I mean, they were just..I didn't like them."  
  
"So are you staying with Sirius now, after the school year?"  
  
"Probably." Harry sighed, looking outside at the full moon. "If he wants me to anyway. If not, I'll probably stay at the Weasley's."  
  
Clara smiled, and cautiously put her head on his shoulder. "Everyone talks about how much he loves you. It's really cute. He'll want you staying with him."  
  
Harry blushed and put his left arm around her waist. "Everyone talks, huh?"  
  
"Yup. Well, not Slytherin." Clara made a face and laughed quietly. "You're friends with Draco, huh?"  
  
"Er, kind of." Harry shrugged to himself. "We like to piss Snape off. It's something we have in common I guess."  
  
"As long as you don't turn into him, I'm happy."  
  
Harry smiled as they sat in a comfortable silence. He really liked Clara, and she liked him. She was perfect, by what he'd known of her so far.  
  
"So, tell me about yourself, since you probably know all about me." Harry broke the silence a couple minutes later.  
  
"Well, I'm 15, like you, and in my 5th year in Ravenclaw. I play on the Quidditch team, as seeker, like you. My grandparents on my mum's side are wizards, but my mum didn't get their blood for a strange reason. So, I'm a mudblood." Clara said and Harry sighed.  
  
"Don't insult yourself like that."  
  
"It's true. But it's okay, I've been called it loads of times." Clara smiled, yawning quietly. "I actually like to piss off the Professors too. Hagrid's probably the only Professor that hasn't gotten angry at me."  
  
"Hagrid's cool like that." Harry laughed.  
  
"Yeah, he is. I like him a lot. I don't think I've gotten in as much trouble as you though." Clara pushed him lightly, giggling softly.  
  
"Everyone must talk about me, huh?" Harry asked, laughing and pushing her back just as lightly.  
  
"All of the Slytherin's that have classes with you talk about how much you've changed. They think you're pretty cool. But they'll never act like that." Clara closed her eyes.  
  
They sat in another silence until both of them were falling asleep. They stood up, hugged eachother and said goodnight. Harry stayed up in the tower for a while longer, watching the stars and the forest. His life was coming back together, and he smiled at the thought. His smile faded as the dark thought of Voldemort hung around in the back of his mind. He was waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And when that moment came, Harry decided, he was going to be ready. 


	9. Quidditch: Slytherin VS. Gryffindor

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With the first Quidditch game right around the corner (George kept bringing it up every 5 minutes), the Gryffindor House was in an uproar. October was ending quickly, and the weather was changing just as rapidly. Instead of the usual sun, it was mostly dark and gray outside. It hadn't rained yet though. Harry and Clara were probably as close as they could get, if not, more. Ron and Draco often teased him (though Draco not as much, since they weren't int he same House). Hermione thought it was "cute" and "sweet", and was at least a little jealous that Harry had found someone he cared so much about.  
  
"Come on Harry! We need to get going! The game starts in less than an hour!" Fred yelled through the Gryffindor House, everyone else in the common room waiting. Harry ran down with his robes and his broom.  
  
"Sorry." He panted, looking up and smiling at the team. "Where's Sirius?"  
  
"He's meeting us on the field." George said (although Harry thought it might've been Fred), and the team left. "Everyone else is getting ready out in the stadium."  
  
"It's bloody rainy outside." Dean commented as they continued to walk down to the locker room.  
  
"And dark. You sure you can see the snitch out there Harry?" Seamus asked from behind Harry.  
  
"Yeah, don't worry." Harry shrugged him off, grinning as Clara came into view next to the entrance/exit to the Quidditch Pitch. "Hey."  
  
Clara hugged Harry and he hugged her back, with one arm. He tickled her for a moment, then gave her a quick kiss.  
  
"Good luck." She smiled, leaving the team as they entered the locker room. Their nerves were at their ends, and they were half jumping around as they got changed into the playing robes.  
  
"Now, I don't know how well we can do our speeches compared to Oliver, " Fred paused, looking around at everyone as they stood in a half circle around the captains. "And we don't really need a speech, because we're going to beat Slytherin, like always. Right Harry?"  
  
"Aw come on, don't make it sound like it's up to me." Harry grinned, shaking his head. "I'll do the best I can."  
  
"That's all we ask of you, my dear boy." George half bowed. "Oliver is out there, and we don't want to make it look like we miss him. Cause you all know you do."  
  
"Yeah right!" Katie smirked, laughing. "I like you two way better than Oliver."  
  
"Everyone does." Fred gave one of his best smiles. "Let's just get out there and win. Maybe next time our speech will be better."  
  
Everyone got in the circle and hugged eachother for good luck. They stuck their hands in the center and said, "Gryffindor!" then turned, leaving the locker room. Immediately, when they got outside, wind blew in their faces, smacking them hard. Harry fixed his glasses and looked through the heavy sheets of rain. He could barely see 3 feet in front of him. He looked up at Fred and George, who were looking around them. The crowd erupted into yells and screams as soon as the team step foot on the pitch. They got in their positions, Slytherin doing the same. Harry and Draco glared at eachother, hidden smirks on their face.  
  
"I'm gonna beat you!" Draco taunted as Madame Hooch threw the quaffle up. Harry watched the snitch fly by, and he followed it up until he was above the stadium. He floated above the crowd, looking around casually, losing sight of the snitch. Sirius was flying nearby (he insisted on flying around above the stadium so he could watch Harry, in case), and when he saw Harry looking at him, he gave a small wave. Sirius disappeared behind the rain, and Harry looked about again. There was a flash of lightening, and he saw the flash of the snitch. Harry moved forward, deciding he'd been up above the crowd long enough. He was getting freezing cold. He moved towards the snitch, which was lower to the game than he thought, because a bludger came up right beside him, hitting him in the head. He could hear Lee Jordan saying something, and he shook his head, trying to stop the world from spinning. He moved back up, still dizzy. Blinking, he could feel himself swaying off of the broom. The last thing he remembered was falling off the broom, and somebody catching him.  
  
- - - - - - - -  
  
Draco caught the snitch, which surprised himself and everyone else. Immediately, everyone started looking up, looking for Harry. Fred and George hovered 5 or so feet from the ground, looking for Harry. A broom fell from the sky (which they assumed was about 40 feet above the ground), and hit the soft ground. The Slytherin's were cheering for Draco, but he looked around quickly. Where'd Harry go?  
  
"Sirius probably took him to the hospital wing, cause he got hit with the bludger pretty hard." George tried to think of a positive reason why Harry was gone. The two hit the ground and rushed to the broom, and looked around them. Harry's body wasn't anywhere. Neither was Sirius.  
  
All of the Professor's rushed everyone inside, except Madame Hooch, who flew around the stadium, looking for Harry. The Gryffindor team walked into the locker room, confused.  
  
"Where'd he go?" Seamus asked once they were all inside.  
  
"I don't know. I think I saw Sirius grab him, but I'm not sure." Dean answered, pulling off his robes. "Harry's going to be fine though. He always is."  
  
Everyone nodded as they undressed from their soaking robes, and got dressed in dry ones. The game lasted about 20 minutes, and they weren't really complaining that they lost the game. Oliver walked into the locker room.  
  
"Look, Wood, we don't want to hear a speech. You aren't our captain -"  
  
"Shut it, George. I heard Dumbledore speaking to Madame Hooch. He says Sirius had strict orders not to take him to the hospital wing if he was injured, or Harry wuold be taken from his possession."  
  
"Which means..?"  
  
"Fred, it means that Harry's disappeared. He's either out there, knocked out on the ground, or someone took him from up there." Oliver whispered furiously. "And when I find out who took him -"  
  
"Who says someone took him? Look, Oliver, we'll wait until the morning. Sirius or someone will know where he is. He's going to be fine, you know that." Dean stopped the conversation there. "You know, Malfoy got lucky."  
  
"Lucky?!" Katie scoffed, picking up her broom and robes. "I'll see you guys at supper. Or in the common room, whichever comes first."  
  
One by one, the Gryffindor team left the locker room. Clara was standing by the room, hopeful Harry was there.  
  
"Come on, Clara." Seamus draped an arm around her shoulder. "He's not with us."  
  
Clara shrugged his arm off, folding her arms across her chest and looking around. It was obvious she was worried about him. Ron and Hermione ran inside and found her, and they knew he wasn't there. The three walked silently back to their Houses to change into dry clothes.  
  
"Harry's going to be in the House, watch." Ron tried to reassure himself and Hermione as they got into the common room.  
  
All of the people in the common room looked up as the picture flew open, then sighed. Harry wasn't with his best friends. A moment later, the picture hole opened again, and Lupin rushed in, then grabbed Ron and hurried up the steps to the dormitory.  
  
"We need to get the map." He said quickly, and Ron nodded, opening Harry's trunk and going through it until he found the map. Remus touched it with his wand. "I solemly swear that I am up to no good."  
  
Hogwarts was drawn on the map, and little black dots labeled. Professors were walking around the school. Remus sighed, aggitated.  
  
"Sirius AND Harry are missing." He cleared the map and threw it in the trunk, sighing. "Where the hell did they go?"  
  
Ron didn't have an answer for him this time.  
  
- - - - - - - -  
  
Sirius stood in front of the Dark Lord. He was ashamed, frightened and upset. He knew it wasn't his fault he brought Harry here, he was under the Imperius Curse. But now Harry was going to suffer and die because of him. The Dark Lord smirked and turned from the fireplace, staring down Sirius.  
  
"Lucius, come take Mr. Black away to the dungeons. I want..a word..with our celebrity." Voldemort sneered, and Sirius cried out.  
  
"No! Please, don't hurt him, oh God, please don't." Sirius whimpered as Lucius Malfoy and another Death Eater (whom Sirius could only assume was either a Crabbe or Goyle, because of their large build) took him away.  
  
"Oh, we won't hurt him yet." Malfoy growled in Sirius' ear. "We wouldn't take you away for that."  
  
Sirius watched as Voldemort looked at the floor, at Harry's unconcious body. Harry had been unconcious the whole way to the..house, or whatever it had been. Sirius couldn't remember. He was thrown into a dungeon chamber, and the Death Eater that helped Lucius turned to him.  
  
"We will keep you alive, oh yes." He murmured, smirking. "And we'll send you back to Hogwarts within the next month."  
  
"The next month?!" Sirius jumped up, angry. "And, what about Harry? Does he get to stay in here with me?"  
  
"The Dark Lord will decide." The man gave another smirk and turned, leaving with Lucius. Sirius slid down the wall to the floor, looking around the dark chamber. Chains hung from the ceiling, along with hooks that Sirius could only imagine were used for killing. Dried blood was on the floor.  
  
Lucius Malfoy and the other Death Eater walked back to their Lord, and smirked to eachother. Harry was still out, and Voldemort was chaining him up to the wall, blood dripping down the side of his face.  
  
"Black wants to know if Potter will be a cell mate?" Lucius asked after a moment of watching.  
  
"Of course not. You know the damage Potter can do just by himself. However, we'll keep him close enough to his Godfather so he could hear Potter's screams." Voldemort smiled wickedly, nodding to himself. "Oh yes yes. It will be good fun."  
  
"And when we kill Potter?"  
  
"Don't ask questions about killing just yet, Finnigin(sp?)." Voldemort sneered, turning and facing his follower. "We will not kill Potter just yet. He's much too strong. We'll wait a while, feeding him of course, but not enough to keep him strong. In time. Dumbledore will come looking for his student after a while. Of course, once we send an owl or two." Voldemort's eyes gleamed in pleasure, smiling more.  
  
Joshua Finnigin nodded, bowing to his master.  
  
"Beg your pardon, sir, but my son is also friends with Potter. What shall we do about that?" Joshua asked, looking up at his Lord.  
  
"Kill him, too?" Voldemort asked, and laughed out loud at the absurd look on Joshua's face. "Oh Heaven's not. Your son shall be left alone, for the time being. Malfoy, your son and Potter are also close. What do you recommend we do?"  
  
"Kill him, my Lord." Lucius bowed halfway, then looked up. "No son of mine will be the friend of a slimy git like Potter."  
  
Voldemort turned back to Harry, who was sitting on the floor, his arms raised and chained above his head. His head was slumped to the side in sleep.  
  
"Sleep well, Potter, for your time is near." Voldemort sneered, then left the room. Lucius walked up at kicked Harry, and Joshua did the same.  
  
"Go find Goyle." Lucius sneered at Joshua. "He'll appreciate this."  
  
Joshua nodded and left the room. Whatever Voldemort had in his mind, it was going to be big. And he wanted to be alive for that moment.  
  
- - - - - - - - -  
  
Dumbledore had insisted on the whole school sleeping in the Great Hall that night. They had looked for hours on end, and came up with nothing. Hagrid was upset, crying ever since Harry had disappeared. But that was Hagrid. Professor McGonagall had become upset, knowing that Harry wouldn't have left again, like the first time this school year. Professor Snape hadn't said much, because he knew. He knew what had happened. He tried to tell Dumbledore, but the Headmaster wouldn't hear of such a thing. Voldemort had somehow gotten Harry and Sirius to his hideout. Dumbledore insisted he hadn't.  
  
"I'm sure Sirius took him to St. Mungo's. I sent an owl earlier, asking to send them back." Dumbledore had waved Snape off.  
  
"But sir, I know how Voldemort thinks!" Snape had argued back.  
  
"As do I, Professor. However, I highly doubt Voldemort would do something so simple."  
  
"You're right! He'd get Malfoy or one of his followers to do it!" Snape yelled down the hallway, and he could've sworn he saw Dumbledore pause.  
  
Now, inside the Great Hall, sleeping bags were layed out everywhere. Everyone was sitting on top of them, in their sleep clothes, talking quietly. The only people not talking were Hermione, Ron, Clara and Draco. They sat together in a half circle. Hermione's knees were pulled up to her chest as she breathed deeply, trying not to cry. Clara's eyes were puffy and red, tears slipping from her eyes the whole time. Draco and Ron just sat cross - legged, not really knowing what to do.  
  
"I know my father has something to do with this." Draco whispered, breaking their silence, and Clara closed her eyes and cried more. "Filthy bastard."  
  
Hermione gave up and let a few tears fall from her eyes. "I can't believe he's just..nothing's going to happen to him Draco, right?"  
  
Draco sighed and shrugged helplessly. "I have no idea. My father's against Potter about as much as the Dark Lord is. Never liked James back in their school years."  
  
Ron looked up and around the room. He felt like everyone was looking at them and whispering, then looking at the group again. The Quidditch Team sat together, probably discussing exactly what happened for the millionth time. Katie and Angelina were still crying. Justin was silent, probably just as upset as everyone else. Dean was still talking about what he had seen at the game, while Fred and George were trying to think of anything that would help solve the mystery. Ron turned his head and watched the Professors. Even they seemed to be looking at the group of friends (which was quite unlikely; 2 Gryffindors, a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw, sitting together, being friends and comforting eachother) and talking about them. Dumbledore walked up to the front of the room, and everyone got silent.  
  
"Harry Potter has not been found tonight, inside this school. He may very well be at St. Mungo's, getting some medical attention, or back at home with his Godfather." Dumbledore paused as everyone seemed to sigh a little in relief. "I can assure you that the Dark Lord does not have him."  
  
"Yeah, right." Draco whispered, more to himself than anything.  
  
"In this time of need, " Dumbledore paused, looking at Draco, as if he had heard him. "We must be kind to everyone. Especially the friends of Harry, who are in great need of comforting themselves."  
  
Everyone turned and looked at the small group, again, and gave them small smiles. Everyone execpt the Slytherin's, of course. They just shrugged helplessly.  
  
"We will continue classes tomorrow, as usual. We cannot let this stop everything. Quidditch game for Gryffindor will end until they either find a new Seeker, or Harry returns. Now please, get some rest."  
  
Hermione sighed and stood up. Clara looked up at her, then did the same. They gave eachother a hug, trying to comfort eachother, then Hermione stepped back.  
  
"I need to speak to Professor McGonagall." She whispered, then walked up to the Professors (which she didn't like, considering she had to walk half of the room, with everyone staring at her). The Professor's looked at her sympathetically as she walked up, and she politely pulled McGonagall aside.  
  
"Are you okay, Ms. Granger?" Professor McGonagall asked quietly, as they stood in a corner, away from everyone else.  
  
"I..I don't think Ron, Clara and I are ready to go back to class and everything tomorrow." Hermione whispered, not looking the teacher in the eye. "I'm not sure about Draco. He's upset, of course, but he may want to go to classes."  
  
"Of course, if you don't think you can handle it, you don't have to come to classes. I don't think the Professor's will do much in their lessons the next couple of days anyway." Professor McGonagall gave her a small smile. "How are you guys doing?"  
  
"Horrible. I don't..no one really knows where he is, do they? That thing Dumbledore said about him being at St. Mungo's, thats a bunch of bull, isn't it?" Hermione asked, and McGonagall's face dropped slightly. "It is. Voldemort has him, doesn't he?"  
  
"Hermione! Of course not!" McGonagall snapped. "He's fine."  
  
"No he isn't. If he was fine, he'd be here with us and his girlfriend. Sirius would be here." Hermione whispered, and she walked past the Professor back to her friends. Ron watched her as she got closer to them, then sat down next to Clara and Ron again.  
  
"What was that about? Ignoring a teacher?" Ron asked, his eyes wide in shock.  
  
Hermione shrugged, sighing. "She said if we don't want to go to classes tomorrow, we don't have to. I don't think I will go. Just standing up in front of everyone is hard enough."  
  
The four teenagers sat together quietly as everyone soon drifted off to sleep. Where was Harry? 


	10. Malfoy Mansion

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Author's Note: omfg..I can't believe I screwed up my own story. Oh well; I changed Justin Finch-Fletchley to Seamus Finnigan (which I spelled wrong..oh well..) if the tags are screwed up..screw it.. Thanks for the notes you guys!  
  
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Harry woke up shivering. His neck ached, and when he moved his arms to touch his head, they stung. And they were above his head. Harry thought back to what he remembered last, but all he could remember was sitting in the locker room, getting dressed for the game. Harry opened his eyes, and shut them quickly, as the light stung his eyes and made his head throb.  
  
"Our celebrity is awake."  
  
That voice. That taunting, cold voice. Harry opened his eyes slowly, moving around on the cold floor, trying to get comfortable. He looked at the fireplace, then at the chair next to it.  
  
"What happened?" Were the first words out of his mouth, and he regretted it instantly. Voldemort stood up and swiftly walked over, bending in front of him.  
  
"Remember these next days, Mr. Potter. They will be the only memories you have before you're murdered." He spat, then stood and kicked Harry's side. Harry winced and tried to move, and winced more as his arms stung and his head ached.  
  
"Sirius.." Harry trailed off, trying to grasp reality and stay awake.  
  
"Oh, he's quite alright, considering he's dead."  
  
Harry's eyes opened and his mouth fell. "NO! You killed Sirius?!"  
  
"No, not at all." Voldemort laughed almost sneeringly. "He's locked up where he can't get to you."  
  
Harry's head fell forward as his eyes closed sleepily. He jerked his head back, determined to stay awake and find a way out of the bindings that held him to the ground. But with the throbbing in his head and his arms, he soon passed out from all of the pain. Voldemort grinned, a wicked glint in his eye, and turned to the entrance of the door.  
  
"FINNIGIN! GOYLE! GET IN HERE!" He roared, and within seconds, the two large men were standing in front of Voldemort, bowing. "Take Mr. Potter and throw him in the cell across from his Godfather. Make sure you keep him alive though. Potter must die a slow, painful death."  
  
- - - - - - - - - -  
  
Harry woke up again, minutes, hours, days later, he didn't know. He was lying on the cold ground floor, shivering. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around his body, and was glad when he realized he could move them. He slowly sat up, thankful it was dark in the cell. His head throbbed slightly, but other than that, he was okay. Standing up, he looked around. It wasn't that bad of a place. There was a bed, with a very worn mattress and thin blankets, but it was still a bed. There was a sink, with soap (probably months, if not, years old), and a wash rag. A cracked mirror was above it. Harry looked around the cell, spotting a toilet (which he was glad for) then walked to the door. It was a big wooden door, with bars covering the only hole in the room. He looked out the window, and across the hall (which wasn't far), he saw Sirius leaning against his door, his arms hanging out between the bars. His hands were folded and his eyes were closed almost peacefully.  
  
"Sirius?"  
  
Sirius' eyes open and head jolted up from the door, and locked on Harry's eyes.  
  
"Are you okay?" He asked in a hushed, urgent whisper.  
  
"I think.." Harry answered, looking as far as he could out the 'window'. "Where are we?"  
  
"I don't know, I think Malfoy's house. I'm only guessing though." Sirius shrugged helplessly. "I'd transform or do something, but this whole place is completely sealed in some magic."  
  
Harry looked around the dimly lit dungeon area. It was really..something. Not freaky, but not cozy. He had no words to describe it.  
  
"How's your cell look?" Harry asked, turning back to Sirius.  
  
"I hate it, why do you think I'm looking out here? There are these hooks from the ceiling, I swear. And blood all over the floors. And the bed is all..how's yours?"  
  
"Mine's not that gruesome. The bed, from what I've seen, looks pretty normal. I've got a sink, soap, a cracked mirror. I think someone looked in it one too many times." Harry laughed quietly to himself.  
  
"Well gee Harry, I'm glad you can joke about something like this in a time like now." Sirius growled angrily.  
  
"Look, I'm not gonna sit here and await my death day without at least trying to be a little happy." Harry growled back, then turned and walked away from the door, ignoring Sirius' whispers to come back. He looked around the cell again. On the ceiling there was a single light bulb, dangling from a single cord. When he pulled the light switcher, the bulb lit up. Harry grinned and looked around more. The floors had writing on it. The same handwriting too. Harry got on his knees and started reading some of it.  
  
iHate. Bastard. Jerk. Hate. So cold./i  
  
Harry crawled over to another spot, where the writing was shaky.  
  
iBeatings. Horrible. Whip. Bleeding./i There were fingerprints with blood around it.  
  
Harry shivered and continued reading the next one, next to the bed.  
  
iNo more. 2 months. School soon./i  
  
Something caught Harry's eye. He crawled under the bed, reaching for it. When he pulled it out, he examined it, his back to the door in case. He held the book to his face, noting the water - worn pages. It was a journal. He held it open, and the first line made his heart nearly stop beating.  
  
"Dragon Arthur Jameson Malfoy." Harry whispered to himself, touching the neatly written script on the first page, then to the floor at all the writing. It was Draco's handwriting. Footsteps were coming quickly toward Harry's cell, and he threw the journal under the bed and hurried ontop, then pretended to look around.  
  
"POTTER! YOUR SUPPER!" The man barked, throwing a tray of food through a small crack in between the door and the frame, then slammed it shut. He moved across the hall. "BLACK, YOUR SUPPER!"  
  
Harry rushed over and picked up his food, then went back to his bed. He got the journal out and started reading it as he ate his food (which consisted of, surprisingly, a roll, some soup and a glass of water, which wasn't bad).  
  
iJune 23, 2000  
  
Well, my first entry. I decided to sneak in this journal because I need something to do, other than stare at the walls. Father's insisting I stay here to learn my lesson. I told him I wanted to be friends with a lot of kids at Hogwarts, and he hit me, saying I don't need friends. The only friends I need are Crabbe and Goyle. I guess he's right. But, he said I had to stay in here until he thinks I'm ready to come out./i  
  
Harry turned the page, and winced when he saw drops of dried blood.  
  
iJuly 6th, 2000  
  
I haven't written for a while. I'm not even sure if it is the 6th. I just found a copy of the Daily Prophet in my cell, so I'm assuming it's from today. I remember on June 27, I believe, sitting here staring at the walls, talking to myself about something probably really stupid, because my father came in and started hitting me again. I've been in and out of sleep since then. There's been water and bread left for me everyday, so I've got plenty to eat. Father says I can leave at the end of the month to get school supplies. I can't wait to start my first year. He says I need to get Harry Potter on my side so the Dark Lord will kill him. I don't think that's a smart choice. But I'll try to do what I can./i  
  
Harry rubbed his hands together, letting the bread crumbs fall to the floor. He looked out the window on the door, making sure no one was watching. Harry turned the page again.  
  
iJune 29, 2001  
  
That bastard whipped me again. I've got really bad scars on my back. I can't even sleep anymore without it hurting so bad. He's pissed that I didn't bring Potter to my side. Well fuck you Lucius. You don't need me to do your work. But I can't let Potter know that I'm trying to keep him protected in a way. Crabbe and Goyle can't know either, or Lucius will surely kill me. Being friends with a Potter is the worst thing that can happen. Being friends with a Weasley and a Granger is even worse. Granger's a pretty cute mudblood, but I mustn't act like I care for her. This past school year, I think I've gotten Potter to stay away from me, which is completely fine with me.  
  
One thing that's been bugging me a lot. I've got two middle names. Arthur and James. And I know it's not just a coincidence that Ron Weasley's dad's name is Arthur, and Harry's is James. Something weird is going on there. I asked Lucius and he hit me upside the head. Whatever.  
  
This past school year, I learned about as much as I've already learned from Lucius. Potter saved us from the Dark Lord. I'm pretty glad he did, because I know he's definately not going to be on the wrong side. On the other hand, Lucius beat me for that. How the hell am I supposed to stop Potter from saving us, if I don't know anything about him? Answer that one, Lucius./i  
  
Harry continued to read the journal, which the next five or six entries were written in the 2001 year alone (mostly about Lucius beatings). He yawned and rubbed his eyes, then stood up. He threw the journal under the bed and brought the tray back to the door when he heard somebody walking down the hall.  
  
"LIGHTS OUT POTTER!" He yelled before he reached the cell. Harry nodded and went back and turned out the light. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, then went and lied down. Harry hadn't known how tired he was until he crawled under the thin blankets.  
  
"Goodnight Sirius!" Harry half yelled tiredly, before rolling over and getting comfortable.  
  
"Night kid." Was Sirius' responce, and the two silently fell into a deep sleep.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - -  
  
(At the same time)  
  
Draco stared at the rows and rows of books, thinking, but thinking about nothing. His left arm was outstretched and his head was on top of it as he stared. His right hand was drumming on the library desk. The only thing he'd been thinking about the past 4 days was iwhere/i Harry was. The Dark Lord had him, he was sure of it. His father had even tried coaxing him out of school. But he knew Lucius too well. Seamus had left the school, saying there was an emergency at home. That's what Lucius had said. Draco sighed and continued to stare. Lucius was close to the Dark Lord. He'd give everything for Him to be happy. Even..his home.  
  
"That bastard!" Draco jumped up suddenly, his chair crashing to the ground. It was midday, and everyone was in their classes. He didn't have the concentration to sit in classes all day.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, watch your mouth and pick up your chair!" The librarian hissed, but Draco ignored her and rushed out of the library. He had to find Dumbledore.  
  
Draco rushed down the corridor, looking for Dumbledore. He hadn't really expected him to be there, waiting. He turned a corner and sighed when he saw Dumbledore standing next to a window, looking outside, deep in thought.  
  
"Headmaster, I have..I think I know where Harry is!" Draco ran up to Dumbledore, skidding to a stop.  
  
"I know where he is, Mr. Malfoy."  
  
"Then, if you know where he is..why don't you go get him?" Draco asked, scowling.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, I've gotten owls saying they're torturing Harry and Sirius. I don't believe any of it, of course. They want me to go search for them and put myself and others in danger."  
  
"They? Who's they?"  
  
"Don't play the stupid game, Mr. Malfoy. I'm not angry at you, because I know you're not part of this. Voldemort, along with your father and others, have more than likely put up curses and spells to try to kill anyone who enters and leaves that house." Dumbledore rocked on his heels, continuing to stare out the window.  
  
"You were wrong.." Draco trailed off. "You told us Harry wasn't with the Dark Lord!"  
  
"He's not iwith/i him, Mr. Malfoy. He's a prisoner of Voldemorts. However, Voldemort shall not and will not keep himself around Harry. Sirius is with him."  
  
Draco froze. Harry was in his house. In his dungeons. Which meant, if Voldemort hadn't killed Harry yet, he was up to something, and he'd want Harry comfortable. The only comfortable cell in the dungeons, by any means, was ihis/i cell. Which also meant..his journal.  
  
"I have to save him."  
  
"Draco, it's not worth it." Dumbledore said softly.  
  
"Harry isn't worth it? Professor Dumbledore, I -"  
  
"Listen to me. Risking your life to save Harry is admirable, believe me. But if you fail, then you and Harry are both dead. We're going to wait. In the meantime, I want you to start getting back to class, without a word to anyone about this conversation." Dumbledore finally turned and looked at Draco, tears swimming in his eyes.  
  
"I want to save him.."  
  
Dumbledore nodded, sighing a little. "You've saved him enough."  
  
"What's that mean?" Draco asked, but Dumbledore turned and slowly walked away. 


	11. Professor's Pointless Conversation

Days had passed. It was nearly a week and a half. Sirius had stopped speaking to Harry, which worried him. Lucius never said anything when he gave them food and took the trays back. Harry had found a quill and ink in a corner underneath the bed, and he used it to write in Draco's journal. He had finished reading the journal. It covered basically everything he needed to know. There wasn't a way out of the mansion with magic. Draco had had a marker and written on the stone floors all of the words that were still there. Today, Harry was lying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, thinking.  
  
"Black's dead." Harry heard someone say, and he bolted upright and immediately ran to the door, trying desperately to see out the window.  
  
"I assumed he was." Lucius sneered, pulling the door open and walking in, the other man following behind. "Finnigan, pick up his legs."  
  
"Malfoy, his legs are all..bloody and shit."  
  
"Yeah, so? I've got more blood up here than you do, deal with it." Malfoy sneered, and Harry's blood drained from his face. The two walked out, carrying Sirius' body. He really was dead.  
  
"NO!" Harry screamed, starting to sob, throwing himself against the door. "NO! HE'S NOT DEAD!"  
  
"I'm afraid so, Potter, shut up." The man, Finnigan, sneered, walking past the door.  
  
"YOU KILLED HIM!"  
  
"No, we didn't. I assure you, he killed himself." Lucius smirked, and they were gone, blood dripping down the dungeon floor as they went.  
  
Harry slid down the door, sobbing. Sirius killed himself. He was dead. The only thing Harry could think of was dying himself. He lost Sirius. Sirius was gone. Dead. Harry should be gone and dead too.  
  
- - - - - -  
  
"It worked. In a matter of days, Potter will be dead." Lucius bowed down to his master a few moments later, the dead body of Seamus Finnigan behind him.  
  
"Ah." Voldemort turned around. "Very good."  
  
Sirius remained chained to the wall, his arms above his head. Anger flashed in his eyes as he watched.  
  
"You're sick." Sirius spat out, and got quiet when he heard Harry's screams and sobs.  
  
"Thank you!" Voldemort sneered, turning back to his prisoner. "But, he thinks your dead. In a matter of days, he's going to be so weak he'll either die himself or I'll do it for him."  
  
For a split second, Sirius thought of yelling out to Harry. He dismissed the thought, knowing he couldn't. If he did, Voldemort would surely kill him and probably Harry at the same time.  
  
"When we kill Potter, you will be watching. You are to go back to Hogwarts when Potter is dead, and inform everyone he's been killed." Voldemort turned and faced the fireplace, smiling to himself.  
  
"How did you get me here?" Sirius asked quietly a moment later.  
  
"Oh, we had a connection to put the curse on you." Voldemort answered, nodding to himself and smiling more. "It seems our Mr. Potter had been fighting that curse off as well."  
  
"You put the Carnacious Curse on him?" Sirius tried to move and his arms stung, so he stopped.  
  
"Of course not. I wouldn't put such a pitiful curse on someone. Wormtail did it. Why do you think he turned himself into Azkaban? He thinks I'm going to free him once I rule over everyone. Unfortunately, he got the Dementor's Kiss."   
  
Lucius and Joshua stood in the back of the room, smirking and laughing to themselves. Joshua's sons' body was lying lifeless behind them.  
  
"And you..you made Seamus look like me and then you killed him?" Sirius asked and Voldemort nodded. "And Harry thinks.."  
  
"Oh, he's positive you're dead. You heard him screaming like a whore." Lucius spat at Sirius, who immediately tried to lunge, forgetting the chains.  
  
"Calm down, Black." Voldemort sneered, turning back around and facing his prisoner. "Malfoy, unchain him and bring him to..my office."  
  
"Your office, my Lord? What are we..?" Lucius trailed off, walking over with Joshua to unchain Sirius.  
  
"You'll see. And in just a few days, Potter will be dead." Voldemort smirked to himself, then sat down in a chair and continued to stare at the fire. "Just a few more days."  
  
- - - - - - - -  
  
Draco watched the Gryffindor table at supper that night. There were a few empty spots. One where Seamus sat, one where Harry sat, and a couple others he hadn't noticed. Crabbe was missing too. Said something about his mother being ill and dying.   
  
'Idiotic moron.' Draco thought bitterly. 'He's going to be dead like Finnigan is, and probably Harry.'  
  
Ron and Hermione remained silent in their spots, eating a little bit of food. Fred and George were talking to themselves, angrily. Draco probably knew what they were talking about. The fact that it was their last year, they were captains, and couldn't even play Quidditch anymore. The fact that Harry had gone missing, and no one knew where he was. The fact that they couldn't do anything about it. Draco sighed and averted his eyes to the Ravenclaw table. Clara wasn't their either. She never really was around the past week, just in her bed crying.   
  
"Hey." Someone nudged Draco out of his thoughts. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Thinking, something you don't know how to do." Draco spat at Goyle, taking a bite of his food.  
  
"About Potter?" Goyle asked, then smirked. "Malfoy, you're really losing it. He's Potter. You know how much your father will be pissed."  
  
"I have no father." Draco stood from the table and started to walk towards the entrance/exit of the Great Hall. Something caught his eye. Hedwig, Harry's owl, was standing on the floor, watching him. Draco continued to walk and the bird flew up, then landed on his shoulder. There was a note in her beak. Draco took it and read it, leaving the Hall, Hedwig still clinging to his shoulder.  
  
We have much to talk about, Mr. Malfoy. Please meet me in my office after supper's ended for everyone.  
Snape  
  
Draco folded the paper and put it in his pocket, and started to pet Hedwig.  
  
"I bet you miss Harry, don't you?" He asked quietly, and Hedwig stretched her wings and nipped his fingers in responce. "You should stay at Hogwarts until he comes back. Don't go looking for him."  
  
Draco sighed and entered Snape's office. He was surprised to see Snape, along with most of the Professors. Dumbledore was missing, and of course Professor Trelawny. She never was involved in anything that happened with the school.  
  
"Sit down." Snape said quietly, and Draco sat uncomfortably in between Professor McGonagall and Hagrid. Hedwig moved onto Hagrid's shoulder immediately.  
  
"We shall start now, and Professor Dumbledore will meet with us shortly." Professor McGonagall started to say, leaning into the table as Professor Dumbledore entered, sitting down.  
  
"Glad to see you all are here." Dumbledore smiled at everyone, his eyes landing on Draco. "We're here to discuss what's going on with Harry."  
  
Snape stood up and started pacing slowly. "We know where he is. He's at Malfoy Mansion. I've been there myself, years and years ago. That place is crawling in magic. I don't believe you can get past much of it, can you, Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
"No sir. It covers everything." Draco said softly.  
  
"Right. And Potter's probably in the dungeons, which, I believe, will be the most protected." Snape turned and sat back down, folding his hands.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"However, there must be some way to get in." Dumbledore took over the conversation. "Voldemort wouldn't have send me owls, saying what he said, if he didn't want us to try and get him."  
  
"Excuse me, " Draco started. "But there isn't anyway to get past the magic unless you know the passwords. I don't know them. The Dark Lord probably sent you owls because he wants you to send students after Harry. Like me."  
  
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "I understand that. However, I will not send you or any other student to that mansion."  
  
"You already have, sir." Draco quietly said, sinking into his chair.  
  
"How do you mean?" Professor McGonagall asked softly.  
  
"Seamus Finnigan. Vincent Crabbe. You let them go back home. That's not where they are. If they haven't been killed yet by the Dark Lord, they will be. Finnigan's father is friends with Lucius."  
  
Dumbledore remained silent, thinking it over in his head. "We'd like to go after Sirius and Harry. Without the passwords, however, we cannot get into the mansion and dungeons. They're trying to set us up to go find them, ready to kill us too."  
  
"So, what do you suggest we do, Headmaster?" Professor Sprout asked, speaking up a little.  
  
"Until we know exactly what's guarding those dungeons, we can't do anything. I just wanted to bring it to all of our attentions exactly what we're dealing with." Dumbledore stood swiftly, looking at everyone calmly. "If we get Harry back, there's no telling what kind of state of mind he's in, and how healthy he will be."  
  
Draco, who had found the meeting extremely useless, stood from his chair. He went to leave, when he felt it. Lucius was calling his son to Malfoy Mansion.  
  
"Come, my son. We have much to talk about, and much to do." Lucius called faintly at the back of Draco's mind, and Draco's face paled even more than it was. He gripped the nearest thing, a desk, and felt his legs slowly giving out.  
  
"No." Draco thought, arguing with Lucius. "I don't have a father."  
  
"The hell you don't. I won't have a son if you don't come home." Lucius' voice argued.  
  
"What's that mean?" Draco thought, but there wasn't a responce. "Lucius, what's that mean?"  
  
"Draco?" Someone snapped him out of his thoughts, and Draco looked up, backing away from Snape. "Are you okay, Mr. Malfoy?"  
  
"Yeah, er, yes sir. I think I need to..er..rest." Draco rushed out of the room, immediately trying to get back to his House. He heard the Professors leaving Snape's office, but ignored it. He had to help Harry.  
  
- - - - - - - -  
  
Harry lied in his bed, staring at the wall that night. He had finished crying about 20 minutes before, not able to cry anymore. He hadn't eaten his supper, not feeling hungry and not caring anymore. So what if he died. Everyone would hate him because Voldemort would rule of everyone, but as long as Sirius wasn't part of that pain, Harry didn't see the reason why he had to be part of it too. Sure, Ron and Hermione meant a lot to him. They were his best friends. Clara was his girlfriend, and he knew he loved her. Really, truly loved her. But they weren't his family.  
  
"Sirius.." Harry whispered, his voice cracking. "Why..why did you do that.."  
  
Harry sniffed and closed his eyes. He was dead tired. Dead. Harry's eyes filled with tears again, but he didn't let them fall out. He slowly fell asleep, entering a dark world, with dark nightmares and dreams. 


	12. Leaving Malfoy Mansion

Sirius sat, chained against the wall, three days later. He spent his time in Voldemort's office. If that's what you could call it. All it was was carpet and a chair and a fireplace. Not much of an office. And he stayed in there, taking beatings from probably half of the people in Malfoy Mansion (it was covered in Death Eaters). Now, as he sat, barely alive, he watched, trying to stay awake. Malfoy, Finnigan, and Goyle were dragging what looked to be Harry into the room. Harry thrashed and screamed, trying to get out of their grasp.  
  
"LET ME GO!" He screamed, then froze when he saw Sirius. "You're..you..alive?!"  
  
"Oh, God, Harry." Sirius tried to move, but was held back by his chains. "You'll be okay, you'll-"  
  
"He's as good as dead, Black." Voldemort appeared, smirking in front of the room.  
  
"Sirius, tell Clara I love her so much." Harry started to sob as Lucius and Joshua chained him up. "Tell Ron, Draco and Hermione they were the last people I thought about. Tell the Weasley's they were great to me. Dumbledore was the best. All of the Professor's mean a lot to me. Sirius, I love you Sirius."  
  
"Let him go Voldemort! Take me!" Sirius demanded, and Voldemort smirked again.  
  
"I think not. Malfoy, Goyle, Finnigan, back here." Voldemort sneered, and the three immediately walked up behind him. "Any last words, Potter?"  
  
"I'm sorry." Harry's voice cracked, going up in pitch as he started to cry more. "I'm sorry I didn't try to kill you when I had the chance."  
  
Voldemort drew his wand and pointed it at Harry. Sirius watched, tears rolling down his face as the killing curse was placed on Harry. In seconds, he was gone. Dead. His body hung limply on the wall.  
  
"Good good." Voldemort put his wand back in his robe as Sirius started to sob more. "Black, you must go back to Hogwarts now and report what you've just seen."  
  
"You're trying to trick me." Sirius whispered, forcing himself to stop crying.  
  
"No trick, Sirius. I'm letting you go. Your time will come." Voldemort turned and disappeared, giving instructions to his three followers to unchain Sirius.   
  
Sirius watched helplessly as Lucius came over and pulled out his wand. He heard the sleeping spell being placed on him, and within moments, his world was black.  
  
- - - - - - - - -  
  
When Sirius woke up, he was on the cold, wet ground. He opened his eyes, looking around the area. The sky was going down in the horizon. The image of Harry dying came back to him. Sirius sat up, and found his wand and a broom sitting next to him. The broom was from the Quidditch match. Someone had put the Imperius Curse on him that day. Sirius sighed and picked up the items, and looked around. It looked very familiar. Hogsmeade. He walked out of the field and onto the road, where people turned and started to gasp.  
  
"Sirius Black!" They whispered, some people frightened, and Sirius only assumed they knew he had disappeared. He walked around numbly, just wanting to get back to Hogwarts. After entering the Three Broomsticks, he walked over to the bar tender.  
  
"Do you happen to have any Floo Powder?" Sirius asked quietly, his voice hoarse, and the bar tender nodded.  
  
"Right this way, Mr. Black." The man walked off, making sure Sirius was behind him.  
  
They walked into a room in the back, where a jar of Floo Powder lied. A roaring fire soon emerged in the fireplace.  
  
"I'm not sure if I should ask this or not, but Mr. Potter -"  
  
"Thank you, sir." Sirius took some Floo Powder and threw it into the fire, which turned green. He entered it, holding his broom. "BLACK SHACK!" He yelled, and was taken off. Within moments, he found himself on the floor of his house. Why he decided to go there, he didn't know.  
  
He walked through his house, throwing the broom down and immediately ran up the stairs. He threw open a bedroom door and picked up a picture.   
  
"James, your son has been killed." He said into the picture, a single tear dropping from his right eye, and the picture of a young James stared back, half confused. "I've told you about him James. I..dammit. Voldemort, Tom Riddle, he killed Harry. Oh God he killed Harry."  
  
The image of James sighed and his eyes filled with tears, but nothing else happened. Sirius threw the picture down, and left James' room. He passed Remus' room, not even wanting to see it, and went directly into his own. After digging through his drawers, he took clean robes and walked into the bathroom. One look in the mirror stopped him and he backed out of the room. He had to tell Dumbledore immediately. He half ran down his stairs, picked up the broom, and grabbed the Floo Powder next to the fireplace and stepped in.  
  
"HOGWARTS!" He yelled, and immediately found himself in Dumbledore's office. It was empty. Sirius threw the broom down and left the room. He heard talking and laughing from the Great Hall. Supper. Sirius winced and felt tears sting his eyes. He had to get it over with.  
  
Sirius walked into the Great Hall, which got deafiningly(sp?) quiet. Dumbledore immediately stood. Once Sirius got to the center of the room, he stopped.  
  
"HARRY HAS BEEN MURDERED BY LORD VOLDEMORT!" He screamed, then fell to his knees and let out sobs and cries as students started jumping up, screaming. Most started to cry. Dumbledore tried to call for attention as Remus pushed past everyone to get to Sirius. A loud clap of thunder made everyone freeze.  
  
"PREFECTS, TAKE YOUR STUDENTS TO YOUR HOUSES! YOUR HOUSE HEADMASTER WILL BE WITH YOU SHORTLY! EVERYONE STAY IN THE COMMON ROOM!" Dumbledore yelled, his voice strong and steady. Everyone quickly left the room as Remus helped Sirius up.  
  
"Remus, he's dead." Sirius sobbed, limping over to the group of Professors. McGonagall was crying. Snape even looked upset. All of them did.  
  
"Sirius, what happened?" Dumbledore asked, taking his napkin and dipping it in his water, then wiping dried blood from Sirius' face.  
  
"I..I was cursed with the Imperius curse. It made me take Harry to Malfoy and Voldemort. For days we were in seperate cells. They took me, made Seamus Finnigan look like me and murdered him. They showed Harry, and Harry thought I died. Then they let me witness Harry's death." Sirius started to sob all over again, and Remus tightened his grip around his shoulders.  
  
"How do you know Harry wasn't killed? Maybe someone had been forced to look like him -" Snape started.  
  
"Servus, I saw him. I know my own Godson. He..he said you guys were the best, and he's going to miss you so much." Sirius sobbed more, falling to his knees.  
  
Dumbledore remained silent. "Professors, to your Houses please. Inform the students of what has happened. Meet back here for one last night together." Dumbledore walked around the table, and helped Sirius up, and helped him down the steps and out the Great Hall, Remus on the other side. "You must go to the hospital wing. You're very badly injured."  
  
"He's with his parents." Sirius said quietly, tears silently falling down his face. "And with Cedric."  
  
Remus helped Sirius to the hospital wing as Dumbledore turned and went back to his office.  
  
  
Professor McGonagall entered her House, wiping tears from her face. The whole Gryffindor House was sitting in there, silent. Ron and Hermione were sitting on the chairs, watching her to see if it really was true.  
  
"Students.." Professor McGonagall trailed off, clearing her throat. "Harry has been killed."  
  
Hermione let out a cry and burried her head in Ron's shoulder as he hugged her tightly. Ron forced himself not to cry, but it overpowered him and he started to cry too. Everyone in there was in tears within moments after.  
  
"He died trying to protect us. I do not know the exact details. Seamus Finnigan has also been killed." Professor McGonagall wiped away some tears as everyone continued to cry, Fred and George hugging eachother tightly. "Headmaster requested we stay in the Great Hall tonight. Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Ginny, Sirius will most likely want to speak to you immediately. He's in the hospital wing."  
  
The Weasley's and Hermione stood and left the House silently. Once they were in the hallway, they started talking.  
  
"He's gone..I can't believe it." Ron whispered, and George put an arm around his shoulders, hugging him.  
  
"He's a brave, brave kid. I salute him." George said softly as they neared the hospital wing.  
  
Once they entered the hospital wing, they saw Sirius sitting on a hospital bed, being checked over by Madam Pomfrey. She kept tsk tsking and healing cuts on his bare chest and back. Draco was sitting next to him uncomfortably, and Clara was across from him.  
  
"Hey." Draco gave the group a small smile, then frowned and went back to watching Sirius, tears swimming in his eyes. Madam Pomfrey said nothing as she left the room. Sirius had his eyes closed as he breathed and tried to not cry.  
  
"Harry said to tell you, " Sirius turned to Clara. "That he loves you a lot. He's really going to miss you."   
  
Clara nodded, and cried into her hands, sniffing. Sirius turned his head to Draco.  
  
"He said you, Ron and Hermione were the last people he was thinking about, and that you three are his best friends." Sirius sighed and turned and looked at the Weasley's. "He said you guys were great to him. You were his second family."  
  
Sirius sunk deeper into the bed, his whole body shaking from pain and silent sobs. Hermione turned and hugged Fred tightly, needing to hug someone while she cried. Everyone stood there in silence.  
  
"He's not dead." Draco whispered, breaking the silence. "I know he's not."  
  
"I watched him die." Sirius sneered, opening his eyes and turning to Draco.  
  
"I know Lucius, God dammit. Vincent Crabbe is gone, which means they probably pulled a stunt on you, killing Crabbe instead of Potter." Draco stood from his chair and started pacing.  
  
"Draco, he wants Harry dead. Why wouldn't he kill him when he had the chance?" George asked, practically spitting it at Draco.  
  
"I don't know, maybe he wanted Sirius to believe he was dead because everyone else would believe it, and it'd make killing everyone a hell of a lot easier. I really don't know!" Draco turned and stared at the people in front of him, who all had dumstruck looks on their faces. "I know he isn't dead."  
  
"If you're right, why should I trust you? You're probably on your father's side." Sirius whispered after a moment of silence.  
  
"I don't have a father." Draco snapped. "We can't give up you guys. I know he's alive down there. And I'm going to prove it."  
  
Everyone remained in a silence as they thought about it. Clara had stopped crying, knowing she had to believe what he said. She wanted him alive probably more than anything. She really loved him deeply. Madam Pomfrey walked in, breaking the silence.  
  
"Headmaster wants everyone in the Great Hall in their sleep clothes. Sirius, you may stay if you'd like." She said softly, then turned and left. Slowly, everyone started to the door.  
  
"I'll meet you guys in there, okay?" Draco said quietly, and before he got an answer, he left.  
  
Ron and his family, along with Hermione and Clara (who seperated at the moving staircases) walked back up to the Gryffindor Tower, which was empty when they got there.  
  
"Malfoy's right." Ginny said, finally speaking up. "Harry's not dead."  
  
"Look, just because you guys don't want him dead doesn't mean his alive. Why can't you accept that?" Ron asked, glaring at the people in front of him before taking off to the dormitory to get changed.  
  
"He's right too." Fred said softly a moment later. "We don't know if Harry's alive or not. You saw how upset Sirius was. No one would be that upset if he didn't die."  
  
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_  
Author's note: It's 12:10 AM, and I've been writing this for the past..3 hours, because it was still fresh in my mind and I wanted..no needed to get it out. Who knows what'll happen with this story..but I think this chapter pretty much sums it up. I even almost cried at the part where Sirius was talking to the Professors. I want sooooo many notes, since I posted 2 chapters in one night. I want at least up to 50 notes (come on..I know you guys can do it). My computer's been screwing up really badly lately, so I might have to reload EVERYTHING onto it within the next week. So, if I don't post 13 by the end of the week, it's either because I haven't gotten enough notes *;) ;)* or my computer wigged out. Thanks! 


	13. Cameras and Reporters

Author's Note: Omg! I got 17 notes in 12 1/2 hours. I really freaked out. Thanks so much you guys, you make this all worthwhile. Even the people who said "Oh it's a crap, I wasted my time". I'm sorry you bothered to stick with it when you could've done oh so much more with your time..and thanks for "correcting" my mistakes. Uncle Vernon wouldn't wait till the next day..okay, gee, thanks a whole lot for showing everyone the meaning in "fiction". As for no one calls him Mr. Potter, there's another "fiction" thing. Anywho, that's about it.   
  
Thanks again you guys. Even Ms. Lynn, because without her, I wouldn't have a reason to laugh today. Enjoy!  
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That night in the Great Hall, sleeping bags were layed out everywhere. It was the second time in a month they were doing this. Hermione was sitting with her legs pulled to her chest, rocking slowly as she continued to cry. Ron was lying down, his head burried in his pillow, so no one would see him cry. Fred and George didn't care if anyone saw them crying. Ginny and Clara sat together quietly, not really knowing what to do. They didn't think he was dead. Draco walked into the room slowly, then walked over and sat next to Clara. He bit his bottom lip, knowing what everyone else was thinking.   
  
Draco had left the hospital wing and gone to his dormitory. The first thing he did was pack his trunk and all of his books. He didn't really want to save Harry and be the 'hero', but since no one else believed he was alive, he didn't see the point. He also knew all of the secrets to the dungeons. No one else did. He then wrote to his father, saying he was coming home the next day, then tied it to his owl.  
  
"Go as fast as you can, okay?" Draco whispered before letting the owl fly off out the open window.  
  
He turned back to his trunk and changed into his sleep clothes, then locked everything up. He pulled his trunk down the staircase to the portrait hole, then left it there as he left the House. The halls were empty when he came out of the portrait hole, so he walked quietly down the hall until he reached the Great Hall. Everyone was in there, crying. He moaned quietly, knowing they had to be over reacting. But they also didn't know what he knew. He came in and sat with Clara.  
  
"You think he's alive?" Clara asked softly once he sat down.  
  
"I know he is." Draco answered, just as softly, as Dumbledore stood, getting everyone quiet.  
  
Dumbledore stood in front of the students, his hands folded in front of him. Everyone's worst nightmare had come true. "We have lost a great friend, boyfriend, student and hero." Dumbledore looked over everyone, and his eyes landed on the group of friends in the back of the room. "It has been confirmed by Sirius, who watched his Godson die so young." Dumbledore raised a hand as some people started crying again. "However, just because we've lost Harry, does not mean that we must give up. Classes will resume in two weeks. In that time, I urge you to go home and spend time with your families. The Hogwarts Express will be here tomorrow morning. After your Christmas Break, Professors will begin teaching you quicker. Testing for the O.W.L.S won't be until the start of next school year."  
  
Hermione gave a half sigh, as if it had been on her mind. Ron scoffed, wondering how she could be thinking about the O.W.L.S at a time like this. His brothers, though, seemed to be thinking the same thing. Ron's best friend was just murdered, and everyone was worried about a stupid exam.   
  
"We will have a memorial put up for the following students." Dumbledore resumed as Professor Snape walked up.  
  
"Cedric Diggory. Vincent Crabbe. Harry Potter. Seamus Finnigan." Snape began and the Slytherin's cried out at the mention of Crabbe.  
  
Clara, Draco and Ginny watched, half with disgust and half with admiration as a cart was wheeled in. Long sheets of paper were on top of it, along with wreathes and flowers. The cart was wheeled out into the hallway, and moments later, it was wheeled back into the Hall, empty. Teachers were the first to go out into the hallway, then students were permitted. Draco, Ginny and Clara refused to sign it.  
  
"He's not dead. Signing that will be useless, and when he sees it, he's going to be upset with us." Clara explained to Hermione.  
  
"You three are blind! Sirius watched him die! Just because you don't want him dead, doesn't mean he's alive." She whispered angrily, and left the Hall with Ron and his brothers.  
  
The four kids entered the hallway and gasped. Candles were lit everywhere, and the paper was placed on the floors. Quills and bottles of ink were lining the paper. The wreathes held a picture of the four boys. Ron walked over to Harry's, Hermione to Seamus', Fred and George took Cedric's. No one really could care for Crabbe to begin with.  
  
Rest in Peace, Harry. You're always my best friend. I'm going to miss having you around. You were a brother to me. I love you.  
Ron  
  
He stood from the spot and moved over to Seamus', Hermione switching with him. Everyone pretty much wrote the same thing about Harry, Seamus and Cedric. Hermione wiped her face, telling herself to stop crying, and walked with George back into the Hall, while Fred and Ron stayed back.  
  
"I agree with Draco, Ron." Fred said quietly, putting an arm around his brother's shoulders.  
  
"Why? Hermione's right. Just because we don't want him dead, doesn't mean he's alive." Ron whispered back, leaning into his brother.  
  
"I know that. But I also know that Harry wouldn't just die like that. You know that too. He's been through so much, with people trying to kill him, why would he just..die like that?"  
  
"Because he was chained to the damn wall, Fred. He couldn't protect himself." Ron defended his friend.  
  
"Listen to me. Vincent Crabbe's father is a Death Eater, you know that. Vincent's dead! Seamus is dead. His father must be part of it too. They used Seamus' body and made it look like Sirius, and tricked Harry. They probably did the same to Sirius, tricking him. Don't you see?"  
  
"Fred, I know you miss him, but he's not alive." Ron said softly, hugging his brother. "You need to rest."  
  
Fred pushed his brother off him angrily and walked back into the Hall by himself. He couldn't believe Harry's best friends, of all people, refused to believe he was alive.   
  
"Nothing?" Clara asked when Fred sat back down on his sleeping bag angrily.  
  
"No! He insists he's dead. What the hell is with that?" He threw himself onto his back as he stared up at the ceiling. "The wreathe's out there have pictures of all of the kids. That picture of Harry had to be taken before that countercurse hit him. He looks like..way upset in that picture."  
  
"How'd they get a picture of him back then?" Draco asked, lying down too.  
  
"No idea. It looks like he was eating, so someone probably just took a picture of him for the -"  
  
People walked in and immediately started taking pictures. Dumbledore stood from his seat at the front of the room angrily.  
  
"What is the meaning of this?!" He yelled, swiftly walking down to the news reporters.  
  
"We've heard Harry Potter has been murdered, is that true?" One reporter asked, her quill ready as people took pictures of Dumbledore.  
  
"Is the Wizarding World about to be taken over by the Dark Lord?"  
  
"Will we all die?"  
  
"What is your opinion on all of the Potter's being killed?"  
  
"ENOUGH!" Dumbledore bellowed, and reporters jumped back a little. "GET OUT OF MY SCHOOL!"  
  
"The Wizarding World must know!" Cried another reporter.  
  
"Fine." Dumbledore whispered. "Harry Potter has been killed. That's all you need to know. These students must get their rest."  
  
More flashes from camera's came. Most were over at the group of Harry's friends. Some were of the Professors. Dumbledore, with the help of McGonagall and Lupin, ushered the reporter's out of the castle.   
  
"I'm going to go check on Sirius." Lupin said quietly. "He's quite distraught still."  
  
"That's fine. If he wants to come meet everyone back at the Hall, I'll have a cot set up for him if he wishes." Dumbledore said, giving Lupin a small smile. Remus nodded and walked off to the hospital wing.  
  
Dumbledore watched the retreating figure, then turned to McGonagall. "What do you say? After break, Harry being back here?"  
  
"Albus, Harry is dead." McGonagall whispered, and Dumbledore gave her a smile, his eyes sparkling.  
  
"My dear friend, he is not." Dumbledore walked with her back to the Great Hall.  
  
"Sir, Sirius saw him die. Harry is dead."  
  
Albus Dumbledore gave her another smile and walked into the Great Hall, where students were slowly turning in to go to sleep. All but Draco, Fred, Ginny and Clara, who sat in a small group, talking quietly.  
  
"We need a plan to get him out of the dungeons." Draco whispered as quietly as he could. "I think I know how, but you guys are going to have to help."  
  
- - - - - - - - - -  
  
Draco stood in front of his father the next afternoon. He had been mouthing off to him since the moment he saw Lucius, but hadn't once been beaten or threatened to get put in the dungeons. And Draco knew why.  
  
"Why aren't you putting me in the dugeons, Lucius? Afraid I'm too powerful for you now?" Draco asked, smirking at his father.  
  
"Because I know you're a teenager, and boys your age argue and mouth off to their parents all the time." Lucius answered, acting busy with something in his desk.  
  
"That's not it, Lucius." Draco smirked again. "Potter is down there isn't he?"  
  
"What?" Lucius looked up quickly, his eyes narrowing at his son. "He was killed."  
  
"He's down there, isn't he Lucius?" Draco asked again, his smirk growing as Lucius walked up to his son slowly, raising a hand.  
  
"How did you find out about it?"  
  
"I don't know, lucky guess?"  
  
"DON'T LIE TO ME BOY! YOU'VE BEEN SNOOPING AROUND!" Lucius yelled, hitting his son. "Since you know he's down there, there's going to be no problem putting you down there now. And you're going to stay down there with no meals until school starts back up."  
  
Lucius pulled the back of Draco's shirt, choking him as he was dragged off down the halls, then down the winding staircases down to the dungeons. Draco's eyes blurred in tears as he struggled to breathe, spots of blackness appearing in his vision. He forgot everything about Harry, trying desperately to start breathing again. After what seemed like hours, he was thrown onto the ground, where he started to gasp and breathe.  
  
"And you stay in here boy." Lucius spat out before slamming the wooden door and locking it, then leaving. Draco remained on the floor, taking deep breaths and trying to get his head to stop pounding. Minutes later, he looked up, remembering why he was there. He looked around the cell quickly, until his eyes landed on something in the far corner. The lightbulb was swinging slowly above him, not helping with the darkness of the corner. Harry was pushed up against the toilet, visibly shaking, his knees pulled tightly to his chest, his arms in between his legs and body.  
  
"Harry?" Draco asked softly, standing up and walking over, and Harry pushed himself deeper into the corner between the toilet and the wall. "I'm not going to hurt you."  
  
Harry's eyes were tired and his showed it in his features. His whole body was shaking violently.   
  
"Come on, you're freezing." Draco stepped closer, and Harry backed away as far as he could. "Harry, you know who I am. Please, trust me."  
  
"No." Harry whispered, his voice hoarse and scratchy. "I don't know you and I don't trust you."  
  
Draco sighed, kneeling in front of his friend. "Listen to me. I know Lucius and Voldemort tricked both you and Sirius to believe both of you were dead -"  
  
"What? He thinks I'm dead?" Harry's body immediately froze. "And..and he's alive?"  
  
"Okay.." Draco trailed off, taking a deep breath. "Seamus Finnigan's dad is a Death Eater, right?" Harry nodded. "Seamus left school because his father said there was a family emergency. He was given the spell to make him look like Sirius, and they murdered him. That's who you saw. His body, along with Vincent Crabbe's, was found outside of Hogsmeade."  
  
Harry shook his head, pushing himself against the wall deeper, pulling his legs in tighter.  
  
"Look." Draco pulled out a copy of that days Daily Prophet, and handed it to him slowly. Harry took it and looked over everything.  
  
Harry studied the pictures on the front page. The Great Hall at Hogwarts was covered in sobbing students. There was another picture of his friends. Ron, Hermione and George were crying. Draco, Clara, Ginny and Fred were just sitting there. The Professor's were even crying.  
  
"Everyone thinks I'm dead.." Harry whispered, reading the newspaper article that talked about Vincent and Seamus' bodies found in Hogsmeade. There was another picture on the inside of the paper of Sirius in the hospital wing at Hogwarts, crying.   
  
"It's really pathetic actually." Draco sighed to himself. "Your best friends even think you're dead. But don't worry, we're going to get you out of here and prove them wrong. Come on, you look really sick. Go lie in the bed."  
  
"I know about your father hitting you." Harry ignored Draco's comment, and Draco immediately stood up, backing away. "I read your journal. I know I shouldn't have, but my curiosity got the best of me. Draco, don't hate me."  
  
"You read my personal business?"   
  
"My uncle used to abuse me too." Harry looked down at his knees, ignoring Draco's comment again. "It was so..so bad. I was too afraid to use magic on him. Afraid I'd get expelled from Hogwarts, and I'd have to suffer more from my uncle. I can't believe how stupid I was."  
  
Draco walked back over to Harry and sat down in front of him slowly. Harry was really upset over it still.  
  
"I'm sorry."   
  
"Just, just don't be." Harry stood up and walked past Draco, sitting on the bed and staring at the ground. Moments passed before anyone said anything. "So everyone's pretty upset?"  
  
"You don't even know." Draco laughed quietly and stood up, walking over and sitting next to his friend. "Okay, this is the plan of your escape.."  
  
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Another Author's Note: Sorry it kinda took longer than expected to get this out. My computer isn't doing so bad suddenly. Hooray for Earth! Okay..so anyways..Holy, I got like, 60 notes..I'm so happy..woo woo. Now..Adam (*my best friend*) says we can get it up to..WHOA I JUST GOT 4 MORE NOTES! Yay!..mmk..I want..up to..85 notes this time. You guys can do it, I know it. 


	14. Invisibility

Author's note: My comp crashed yesterday..but I got the recovery disk and did all that..my dad deleted my msn messenger..but not my paint shop..whatever..  
  
Thanks for the notes everyone. I guess I want like..eh..100 for the next chapter..which I've already finished pretty much..anywho, yeah..thanks.  
  
Also, when I saw video recorder, I mean VCR, aight? (same for chapter 15)  
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Fred Weasley made sure his bag was next to the door a few days later. Ginny was holding onto his hand as he stood in front of his mother, who was slowly making toast. Her eyes were red and swollen, from crying over Harry.  
  
"Ma.." Fred trailed off quietly, and his mother looked up slowly. "Mum, Ginny and I wanted to go visit Sirius."  
  
"Why don't you wait until your father gets home. Or go with Percy, since he's off today." Mrs. Weasley whispered, pouring herself some tea.  
  
"Mum, Percy didn't know Sirius. Ginny and I did, and we're afraid he might do something. We already told him we'd visit him in a couple days." Fred explained, hoping she couldn't tell he was lying.  
  
"Then take George and Ron, since they knew Sirius also."  
  
"They didn't want to come. We were going to go pick up Clara too, and maybe Malfoy." Fred squeezed his sisters hand, giving his mother a sad look.  
  
"I don't want you two out there alone." Mrs. Weasley whospered, taking a shaky breath and wiping her face.  
  
"Mum, I'm 18. Ginny is 14. Clara and Malfoy are 15. I think we'll be alright. Professor Lupin lives with Sirius, and they probably have a few guests over. We'll be okay." Fred let go of his sister's hand to hug his mother tightly, who started crying into his shoulder as she hugged him back.  
  
"Okay Fred. I trust you. Take the Floo Powder, alright?" Mrs. Weasley went up to her refrigerator and pulled down a bowl with Floo Powder as the three walked over to the fireplace. Fred grabbed his dufflebag and grabbed some powder.  
  
"Ginny, when you get in there, yell The Crossings, okay?" Fred asked, having his sister go first. After she hugged her mother goodbye, she was taken off through the chimney. Fred then went next, after hugging his mother again. He held the dufflebag close to his body as he was swept from his fireplace.   
  
Moments later, Fred was standing in a room, that had a lot of noise everywhere. He opened his eyes and saw Ginny talking to Clara and her father. Fred walked over and joined them, grabbing his sister's hand.  
  
"Hello, Mr. Neilson." Fred shook her father's hand firmly.  
  
"How are you doing, Weasley?" The man asked, smiling and putting and arm around Clara.  
  
"I'm okay. Still shaken up over Harry's death." Fred sighed, hoping his lie wasn't obvious.  
  
"As we all are. Everyone who's come here, " Mr. Neilson waved his free hand around the restaraunt, which was a rest stop for travelers. "have been quite shaken up also. They know all about Clara and Harry, so we try to keep her up in her room so she isn't asked about it."  
  
"Daddy!" Clara gave a small giggle, rolling her eyes at Fred and Ginny from behind her father's back. "We really must be going to Draco's now."  
  
"I don't know what you see in that Malfoy kid. His father isn't much of a friend himself." Mr. Neilson scoffed.  
  
"Draco is a nice kid, daddy. He's really upset over all of this. Once we get Draco, we're going to Sirius' house, alright?" Clara kissed her father on the cheek, then walked over with Fred and Ginny to the fireplace. One by one, they yelled out 'Malfoy Mansion, bedroom 5' and were taken off. Then, one by one, they landed in bedroom 5, which was Draco's room.   
  
Fred whistled as he looked around the room. He obviously hadn't spent much time in it. There were mostly statues of dragons, then scrolls that described the different types of the dragon.  
  
"He's either way obsessed with this, or Lucius has some major obsession himself over dragons. I mean, Draco stands for Dragon, doesn't it?" Fred asked, looking over the room again.   
  
"I guess. Come on, we have to hurry." Clara ushered Fred, who put his bag on the floor, then pulled out Harry's Invisibility Cloak. He put it over his head, and his body disappeared.  
  
"Okay, when I go down there, me and Harry are going to rush back up here." Fred whispered the plan, more to himself as he checked for his wand in his pocket. "When we get up here, I don't know if Draco's going to stay or come with us. But when the door opens, Ginny, I want you to immediately get in the fireplace and yell Black Shack, okay?"  
  
"Alright Fred." Ginny whispered. "Good luck. Please be careful."  
  
"I will." Fred waved out of the cloak and slowly opened the door of the bedroom, and left the room.   
  
Fred walked down the hall, trying to be as quiet as he could. He walked down a staircase, which he remembered by Draco's directions led to the dungeons. He passed a Death Eater on the way down, who was humming loud enough he wouldn't be able to hear Fred anyway. Fred held his breath as he entered the bottom floor of the mansion. The dungeons. He walked down the hallway, seeing a room with a door open ajar. He looked in and sighed with relief when he saw Lucius in there, pacing and talking to himself. Fred continued to slowly walk, so not to make any noise, until he reached the end of the hallway, where there was some talking from inside the cell.  
  
"..that isn't true, and you know it. I am the most wanted man on campus." Draco had said, and Harry howled with laughter, and Fred smiled to himself. Harry was laughing, which probably really pissed off Voldemort or Lucius.  
  
"Hey, guys, I'm here. Lucius is in some room down the hall." Fred whispered as loudly as he could, and he saw Draco turned around and face the door.  
  
"Alright. Harry, you know what to do." Draco walked over to the door as Fred moved over to the side, pulling out his wand. "Ready?"  
  
"Ready." Fred whispered.  
  
"Ready." Harry whispered, lying perfectly still on the floor, his eyes shut as Draco grabbed the bars on the door.  
  
"LUCIUS! FATHER! FATHER COME QUICK! HURRY, OH MY GOD, FATHER HURRY!" Draco screamed frantically at the top of his lungs, shaking the door violently, kicking it. Within moments, Lucius was running down the hallway.  
  
"What is it?" He sneered, pulling out his keys and picking out the silver one out of all the copper ones.  
  
"Potter..he just..he fell over. He's dead." Draco forced himself to start shaking as he backed up from the door, pointing at Harry, who had started to hold his breath.  
  
Lucius opened the door and slowly walked up to Harry. He started to bend down, reaching out a hand.  
  
"NOW!" Draco yelled, shoving Lucius, grabbing the keys and his wand as he did so, and Harry reached up and grabbed his arm, pulling him down. Lucius fell to the floor, and before he could think of what was happening, Harry and Draco were out of the cell and locking the door. Fred whispered the silencing spell, then pulled Harry into a hug under the cloak.  
  
"I'm so glad you're okay." Fred whispered, grinning. "Now we can have some fun again."  
  
"Good." Harry grinned as Draco shushed them.  
  
"Come on, we've got about 5 minutes to get into my bedroom." Draco hissed, and the three silently crept back up the stairs to the top part of the house. Draco made sure they could get up the stairs without being heard, then ran up to his bedroom, throwing it open. Fred pulled off the cloak, handing it back to Harry as Ginny and Clara took off to Sirius' house.  
  
"Black Shack, Harry. Just say it and we'll meet you there in like, 2 seconds." Fred whispered and Harry nodded, taking the Floo Powder and leaving.  
  
"I..I'm going to stay." Draco stuttered.  
  
"No. Draco, if you stay, you won't come back. Come on." Fred grabbed Draco's wrist and pulled him toward the fire, and threw a handful of Floo Powder into the fireplace. Draco twisted and turned, but within moments, found himself on the ground of a different house.  
  
Draco and Fred (who dropped the cloak) looked up, and froze. Sirius was pointing a wand at Harry.  
  
"It won't hurt, I promise." Sirius whispered, his hand shaking violently.  
  
A blue - white light flashed out of Sirius' wand and hit Harry, and for a moment nothing happened. And nothing did happen, except for Harry collapsing on the ground. Sirius dropped his wand and fell to his knees next to Harry, then lifted him up and hugged him tightly.  
  
"So worried..so scared..never been more upset.." Sirius whispered, crying and hugging his Godson tighter. "You're so ill and thin and..and.." Sirius broke down into more sobs and continued to hug Harry. Clara stood with Draco, Ginny and Fred, smiling at them, tears in her eyes.  
  
"Sirius..can't..breathe.." Harry choked from Sirius' chest. Sirius pulled away, laughing and wiping his face. "I've missed you."  
  
"I've missed you too boy." Sirius looked up and saw Remus standing by the stairway. "Welcome to my home Harry."  
  
Harry looked around and stood up, but before he could do anything, Clara hugged him tightly too. He hugged her back, relaxing.  
  
"Don't ever do that again." Clara laughed and cried at the same time, hitting him softly.  
  
"I won't." Harry laughed back, then pulled away, giving her a soft kiss, then moving over to Fred, hugging him tightly. "Thanks for saving us."  
  
"No problem." Fred hugged him back, then pulled away as Harry hugged Ginny, then stood in front of Draco.  
  
"Why do I want to hug you?" Draco asked, narrowing his eyes, a smirk on his face.  
  
"I don't know..I've spent enough time with you already." Harry narrowed his eyes too, but hugged him anyway. "Thanks, Dragon."  
  
Sirius grabbed Harry's wrist and pulled him toward Remus, who was still standing at the staircase. The two hugged for a moment before Harry was dragged up the stairs by Sirius, Remus and everyone following.  
  
"You'll love this." Sirius whispered, a distance smile on his face as they stopped in front of a door in the hallway. "Open it."  
  
Harry opened the door cautiously, entering the room. Quidditch posters, old ones, were tacked up to the wall. On a desk were pictures, dozens of them, all smiling, waving or winking at Harry and the people behind him.  
  
"This was your father's room when he used to live with us." Remus explained quietly. "We all had a room when we left Hogwarts and lived together. This is when Peter was still on our side. We all decorated it the way we wanted it, and made it clear that whatever came into this room, never left it. So everything's been in here since we were 18."  
  
Harry picked up a framed picture of his father and his mother, who were hugging eachother and laughing, ignoring the camera. Another picture was of Remus, Sirius and James, who were in tears laughing over something that had happened in the halls of Hogwarts.  
  
"We pulled a prank on Servus." Sirius laughed quietly to himself. "Dumbledore was even laughing."  
  
Everyone watched as Harry looked at all of the photos and everything in the room. Trophies, that had been made as pranks, were lined on the walls and dresser. An old broom was leaning against the corner of the wall, and clothes were strewn around the room.  
  
"Remus and I talked, and we decided that you could have Peter's room, since everything was dumped from there and it's empty. Plus, anything you want in here can be moved into your room, since it's techincally still in the house, and it's techincally being used by a Potter."  
  
Harry grinned up at Sirius, hugging him, silently thanking him. Everyone smiled at eachother as they turned and walked out of the room so Harry could leave too. Once they were all down stairs, Draco spoke quietly.  
  
"Sirius..Professor Lupin.."   
  
"Call me Remus outside of school." Remus smiled, nodding at Draco.  
  
"Lucius and my mother never told me..but why is my middle name Arthur James?"  
  
Remus and Sirius looked at eachother for a moment.  
  
"You know how James had saved Servus? Well, it's like this, Draco. Your father was always getting into some kind of trouble. Almost got expelled a couple of times. Almost got killed too. James, Harry's father, and Arthur Weasley, who hadn't really known eachother, had saved Lucius once or twice. He felt he owed it to James and Arthur to at least name you after them, which, in the Wizarding World, is a great, great compliment." Sirius said quietly, and Draco nodded, as if he expected that answer.  
  
"My father was friends with James?"   
  
"No no, Fred. They were in the same House, but didn't really talk much. Remus and myself never talked to your father either." Sirius kept his eyes on Harry, as if he had never seen him before. "Who's staying tonight?"  
  
Draco's eyes fell to the floor. "I think I'm gonna go back home."  
  
"You can't.." Harry shook his head. "Your father will kill you."  
  
"I have no father." Draco sighed. "I'll just..avoid him."  
  
"Draco, you can't avoid him, and you know it. You can stay here tonight." Remus gave him a small smile, then turned to Clara. "You're staying, right?"  
  
"My father thinks I am, so yeah." Clara nodded, smiling at Harry who smiled back.  
  
"Mum is really upset still, so we're going to head back home." Fred gave them a small salute, grabbing his sisters hand.  
  
Harry walked up to Fred and Ginny, smiling at the two. "Don't say anything to anyone. I want to make it a surprise."  
  
"Some surprise." Fred smirked, giving Harry a half hug. "We'll see you when school starts up then?"  
  
"I may..stop by the Burrow." Harry gave Ginny a hug (who giggled and squealed to herself), then backed up, picking up his cloak from the floor. "Thanks again, Fred, Ginny."  
  
"Anytime." Fred winked, and the two were off. Harry turned back to the other four people.   
  
"So, where are we all sleeping?"  
  
"It's up to you guys. If you want, you know, you can sleep in your father's room." Remus smiled as his gray hair fell forward into his eyes. "And of course, there's your new room. All it's got is the mattress. Everything else we burned."  
  
Harry nodded, turning and looking at Draco and Clara. "What do you guys want to do?"  
  
"I think I've shared enough rooms with you for a while." Draco smirked, his eyes sparkling. "So I guess I'll take the empty room..if that's okay."  
  
"That's fine." Sirius nodded, conjuring up a comforter and some pillows for Draco's bed. "Clara..?"  
  
"She's going to stay with me tonight." Harry answered for her, putting an arm around her shoulders and giving her a half hug as Remus stopped Sirius from saying anything.  
  
"Alright. It's getting close to supper time, and we've got some pretty nice muggle things here. So, during supper and whatever, we'll do whatever, alright?" Sirius grinned, elbowing Remus lightly, who chuckled, knowing what they were going to do. "You guys can go get settled in while Remus makes us some supper."  
  
"What?" Remus asked as Sirius dragged him off into the kitchen and everyone took off upstairs. "What do you mean, so I can make supper?"  
  
"You make supper and I set up everything." Sirius reached into his pocket, pulling out muggle money. "I might need a new video recorder though, we'll see." Sirius gave Remus another smile, then turned and left the kitchen. 


	15. Black Shack

"You lied to me!" Mrs. Weasley yelled at Fred, who had arrived less than a minute before. "Why did you lie to me, Fred? Where'd you go?!"  
  
"I went to Clara's and then Draco's and then Sirius', mum!" Fred argued back, glancing at George and Ron, who had looked more upset than before.  
  
"I don't believe you. Why were you gone so long?" Mrs. Weasley glared at her son, tears brimming in her eyes.  
  
"Sirius was doing really bad, so I was trying to help him -"  
  
"You could've taken us along, Fred." Ron sneered, his voice full of hurt.   
  
"No, I couldn't, Ron. Look, I'm back and we're okay." Fred sighed and looked as his mother, who hugged Fred and started crying.  
  
"I know you're okay. I just worry for you boys and Ginny, because after what happened to Harry, anything can happen to you guys." Mrs. Weasley sniffed into her son's shoulder as Fred hugged her back.  
  
"It's okay mum. Nothing's going to happen to us." Fred whispered, rubbing his mother's back as George and Ron slowly walked up to the two, and hugged eachother, Ginny joining in. They all pulled away, and Ron looked up at Fred curiously.  
  
"How is Draco and Clara doing?" He asked, a touch of bitterness in his voice.  
  
Fred sighed and hugged his brother again. "They're doing horrible. It's finally sunken in, and the shock's warn off. They're so upset."  
  
Ron hugged his brother back, feeling relieved that they weren't stuck on the idea that Harry was still alive.  
  
  
Sirius had everyone sit down in front of the television (which was larger than Uncle Vernon's ever was), then got everyone their supper. Harry just picked at it, not feeling very hungry, and wondering why everyone had to sit and watch television. But he knew it was going to be something big, mostly for Harry's sake.  
  
"Back in our day, a muggle - wizard inventor came out with a video camera. Wizarding pictures are a lot like these video camera's, except they don't pick up voices and they only show what's happening in the one shot. These video camera's, which are used also by muggles, had just come out when we were all about..15 I'd say. We all put our money together and bought one, because we knew it'd be perfect for us." Sirius looked over at Remus, who was smiling and nodding. "It records onto a tape, like muggle music is, but you can watch the tape on the television through a video recorder. So, that's what we're going to be doing."  
  
Remus stood from his seat and pulled out a tape, which was the size of a music tape, and put it in a video (which popped open in the middle so you could inset the tape), then put it in the video recorder. The screen on the television turned from blue to a kind of blur, then it focused on the halls of Hogwarts. It really hadn't changed much.  
  
"Okay, so here's the deal." A voice came from behind the camera, trying to hide in laughter. "Remus, when Filch comes down here, try to act real casual. Sirius and Peter, you two go down the end of the hallway and try to get Peeves to help you two make a mess. When Filch sees it, he'll flip." The voice, as Harry assumed was James, laughed and backed away as three young boys nodded and walked off into seperate directions.  
  
"What was the point of this, Remus?" Sirius asked as the camera showed young Remus walking slowly down the hall, a map in front of him, which was the Marauder's Map, waiting for Filch.  
  
"I don't remember. We had a really nice explanation too, I remember." Remus answered, chuckling as Filch turned the corner. The camera zoomed out, showing most of the Hall as James hid behind a statue.  
  
"What are you doing out here, boy?" Filch asked suspiciously, seeing Remus alone.  
  
"Going to the library, sir." Remus answered casually, walking past Filch. Once Remus was behind him, he turned around and pointed at Filch, looking at James and laughing. James turned the camera to the Trophy Room, where he could hear Peeves, Sirius and Peter starting to make noise and crash things around. James was hiding his laughter as Filch started to scream the kids. Sirius and Peter ran out, laughing and looking behind them as Filch started to run out. James took off running with Remus and everyone else, and the camera was turned off. A moment later, three people were standing with Dumbledore.  
  
"Say hi to the camera, Albus." James smirked, throwing an arm around Dumbledore, who smiled and shook his head as Remus and Sirius put their arms on eachother's shoulders, then Sirius put his arm around Dumbledore's other side.  
  
"Come on, say hi!" The person holding the camera, Peter, laughed and zoomed in.  
  
"You're not allowed to have this at school." Dumbledore tried to act strict, but ended up smiling again.  
  
"Albus! Say hi dammit! My kids are going to be watching this someday, and they'll see how stuck up my Headmaster was." James joked, pushing Dumbledore softly.  
  
"Hello children. I'm sorry you have a father like this." Dumbledore laughed and ducked out of the embrace of Sirius and James, winking at the camera and walking down the hall as James turned to Sirius.  
  
"How rude was that?" James asked, his hands on his hips as he turned to the camera. "Did you see how rude that was!?"  
  
The camera turned off again, then turned back on.  
  
"We haven't used this for almost 4 months." A voice whispered from behind the camera in the nearly dark room.  
  
"Be careful with that and be quiet." Another voice whispered as they walked through the dormitory as they approached a bed, and Harry blinked at it, seeing it was his own. Remus, the second voice, poked his head into the bed, then pulled back the curtains, waving Sirius over. The camera moved slowly, then focused on James, asleep in the bed, holding someone else.  
  
"If that's a guy, I swear to God -" Sirius started, but Remus shushed him, pointing to the two sleeping people. The camera zoomed in and focused on the girl next to him. "Oh! It's Lily."  
  
Harry watched the television, completely forgetting about his food and everyone around him. He was told his father had broken some rules, but he never imagined it was rules like these. Having a girl in your bed in the boy's dormitory could get people expelled.  
  
"Come, Remus, let's leave them alone." Sirius whispered after a moment of silently watching them, then turned off the camera. The tape was over.  
  
"That's not all we have, but they're all pretty much the same." Remus cleared his throat, standing and turning off the video recorder.  
  
Remus glanced at Sirius, who was watching Harry carefully, along with Draco and Clara.  
  
"Hey." Clara put her arm around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm okay." Harry smiled tiredly, his eyes drooping slightly. "It was just weird, that's all."  
  
"We're sorry if it upset you." Sirius said softly from his seat on the couch above Harry.  
  
"It didn't upset me. I got to see my father and hear his voice." Harry felt tears sting his eyes at the comment, but refused to let them fall as he smiled at everyone again. "I'm just really tired.."  
  
Remus nodded understandingly. "If you want to shower, the shower upstairs works fine. And all of James' clothes in his room will probably fit you. If not, we'll either get clothes of his that are smaller than the ones his his room out of the garage, or go out and buy you some."  
  
"I'll just wear my father's things. Draco, you need anything?" Harry looked over at Draco, who shook his head.  
  
"Harry, tomorrow we're going to take you to St. Mungo's, to have you checked over. You look really ill." Sirius told him, and Harry just nodded and walked upstairs slowly.  
  
Clara stood up and followed him up the stairs, Draco following behind her. Remus looked at Sirius, studying him.  
  
"Was he happy or upset?" Remus asked quietly, and Sirius gave a quiet sigh.  
  
"I'm pretty sure he was happy. He just saw his father..almost alive..for the first time. You can only imagine how he feels." Sirius stood up and stretched. "I think I may go to bed. In about, an hour and a half, after Harry and everyone go to sleep. Because I mean..we still have our video camera."  
  
  
Harry stepped out of the shower, feeling a lot more relaxed and a lot better. Finally seeing his father, and hearing his voice and seeing him smile (even if he was only 15 at the time) gave him a lot more hope and stregnth. For what, Harry didn't know. He just..felt a lot better. He dried off slowly, the laughing of James ringing in his ears. The scar on his forehead, at the moment, was the only proof that his parents had been killed. Once he stepped out of the bathroom, everything will be proof that he was gone. Harry shook his head and got dressed in some pajamas he'd found in his father's dresser (they fit perfectly), then left the washroom. He padded down the hallway, hearing Draco turning in his bed, trying to get to sleep.   
  
"Night Dragon." Harry said, opening the door a bit and looking into the bare room.  
  
"Night Harold." Draco answered quietly, slowly trying to fall asleep.  
  
Harry walked into Remus' room, where he was clearing a space on his desk to put some school work on it to grade. He looked up and smiled at Harry, then went back to his work.  
  
"Thanks." Harry whispered, backing out of the room again. "I really needed that. Night."  
  
"You're welcome. Good night!" Remus called after him, and Harry walked down the hallway to Sirius' room. He knocked and waited for Sirius to call for him to come in, then entered.  
  
Sirius was sitting on his bed, staring down at a photo album. His eyes were moving across the page as he smiled a little then turned it.  
  
"I just wanted to thank you, Sirius. I needed to see my father." Harry gave him a small smile as Sirius looked up, smiling brighter.  
  
"I know you did Harry." Sirius nodded and Harry started to back out of the room. "Good night."  
  
"Night Sirius..and..I don't know exactly what..Vincent, or whoever it was, had said before he was killed..but whatever he said, I want you to know that I love you. You are the father I've never had, and you've been here for me I think when I wasn't here for myself." Harry gave him a small smile, and Sirius seemed to have tears swimming in his eyes.  
  
"I love you too, Harry. Get off to bed now." Sirius smiled, waving Harry off to bed, who left tiredly.  
  
Harry walked into his father's room and smiled when he saw Clara lying in bed, her eyes closed. He didn't know whether she was asleep or not, but he didn't want to wake her up if she was. He turned out the light and shut the door, then walked over to the bed and climed in. Harry yawned and rolled onto his side, putting his arm around her waist and pulling her in closely.  
  
"I never gave up on you, even though you scared the crap out of me during the Quidditch Game." Clara said softly, grabbing his hand and kissing it softly.   
  
"I'm glad you didn't." Harry whispered back, sighing softly and closing his eyes sleepily.  
  
Clara lied there silently for another moment. "Harry?"  
  
"Yeah?" Harry asked, half asleep, holding her tighter.  
  
"When you disappeared again..it made me realize how much I love you." She pulled the blanket tighter around them, and Harry sighed again.  
  
"I love you too." Harry whispered, letting himself go into a deep sleep, unfortunately filled with a dark nightmare.  
  
  
Later on that night, toward sunrise, Clara jumped out of bed. Harry was grabbing onto the sheets and comforter, his body drenched in sweat. He was crying out and almost pleading, but she couldn't understand what he was saying. Quickly, she left the room to get Sirius. She opened the door, and was surprised to see him awake and dressed, sitting at his desk, writing something.  
  
"Sirius, Harry's having a nightmare or something." She said quickly, and Sirius stood and swiftly left the room.  
  
"Harry?" Sirius whispered, shaking Harry, who was rolling over in his sleep, burrying his head in the pillow as he started to scream at the top of his lungs. "What the..? Harry, come on, get up."  
  
Remus walked in, rubbing his eyes as sunlight started to pour through the window. He looked from Clara to Harry to Sirius, then back to Clara.  
  
"He's having a nightmare..or something." She shrugged, watching Harry carefully, worried.   
  
"Well, wake him up Sirius." Remus said, as if the idea had never occured to him.  
  
"I've tried." Sirius shook Harry, who had stopped screaming and was now shaking and trying to pull away from Sirius.  
  
Remus pulled out his wand and conjured up a glass with water in it, then threw it on Harry's face. Harry gasped and sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes and looking at everyone suspiciously.  
  
"What the hell was that for?" He asked angrily.  
  
"Watch your mouth." Sirius hit the side of Harry's mouth softly, and in turn Harry smacked Sirius' hand away. "You were having a nightmare and so we woke you up."  
  
"Oh." Harry's eyes dropped to his bed, which was damp from the water and sweat.   
  
Sirius sighed and looked over at Remus and Clara. "If you want, we can take you to St. Mungo's right now.."  
  
"I just.." Harry lied back down, not caring about the dampness. "..want to go back to sleep."  
  
"At least let us change the sheets and you get dressed in something else." Remus said quietly, a hint of a smile on his face.  
  
"I don't care about it. I want to sleep." Harry rolled onto his side, and within moments, he was asleep.  
  
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_  
  
Author's Note: Well, er, 98 notes will have to do, huh? I went snowboarding today (for my first time), and since I live in Vegas, it's like, whoa..I haven't been in snow since I was 4!! I fractured my tailbone..and you can't imagine the pain I'm in. So, to make me feel better, I posted this chapter. I hope you guys like it..  
  
And and and that note about how this story would make JK proud, I felt so happy! yay! lol, thanks guys, lots of notes! 


	16. He Returns!

Author's Note: Thanks to the few who gave me notes. This story's starting to come to an end (yes..so sad I guess). And now's the time I really need either notes or emails. My email addy is Liz@patheticmutt.com (and yes, I write back to everyone, and email people if they want me to if they give their email addy in the notes). I need to know:  
  
1. Should I have a sequel?  
2. If yes, should it be a slash or a regular?  
3. If no, should I write a different story?  
4. If yes to question 3, should it be after 5th year or after 4th?  
  
If the story is a slash:  
  
1. Who should Harry be with? No adults though (although adult/adult will be okay)  
2. How old should Harry be?  
  
  
That's all I really need answers to, and everything else I've pretty much got figured out. I may write a sequel no matter what, because..nevermind, I won't say nuttin more..thanks guys!  
  
Contact me:  
AIM ~ highclasstoyz  
EMail ~ Liz@patheticmutt.com  
MSN Messenger ~ digitalnfreaky@hotmail.com  
(my name's Liz/Elizabeth, or jus call me Gir =)  
  
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_  
  
  
  
Hours later, Harry was up and showered, with clean clothes on. He was sitting with everyone else around the breakfast table, watching them as they ate. Eating was something he couldn't really do.  
  
"You should try to eat.." Clara trailed off, offering him some of her eggs.  
  
"No thanks." Harry smiled at her, then looked around the kitchen.  
  
"Well, " Sirius took another bite of his eggs and toast, chewing it and swallowing. "We should leave shortly. That way we can drop you off, and possibly get Draco to Dumbledore and Clara back home, then pick you back up and take you to do whatever."  
  
"Sirius?" Harry asked, realizing something. "If we're keeping me being alive a secret until whenever, I can't go to St. Mungo's or out in public."  
  
"Dammit." Remus hit the table, realizing it also. "So this means we have to get to Hogwarts and have Madame Pomfrey look you over."  
  
"Remus, you know how much I like that idea." Sirius growled, his eyes narrowing at Remus.  
  
"It's the only idea we have." Remus spat back, picking up his plate and tossing it next to the sink. "Whatever Sirius. He's your kid. You know how to take care of kids and I don't, even though I'm around them more than you are." Remus put on his cloak and walked up to the fireplace, taking a pinch of Floo Powder.  
  
"Where are you going?" Sirius started to stand up, but Remus ignored him and stepped into the fire.  
  
"I'm informing Dumbledore, since you won't." Remus turned and glared at his friend before yelling, "HOGWARTS!"  
  
Harry jumped up angrily. "Who does he think he is?!"  
  
"He's just trying to help." Sirius sighed and picked up his plate of food. "Are you two done?"  
  
"Yes." Clara sat her napkin down as Draco did the same. "That was delicious, Sirius."  
  
"Thanks." Sirius said as he dropped the plates next to Remus' half distractedly. "I guess we have to go to Hogwarts now."  
  
Instead of saying anything, Harry just nodded and followed Sirius to the fireplace, Clara and Draco following behind them. They each took their share of Floo Powder, and within moments, they were standing together in Dumbledore's office. Remus was sitting in a chair across from Albus, who had his wand drawn, pointed at Harry.   
  
"Now, this won't hurt a bit, Harry." Dumbledore assured him, and Harry sighed, staring at Sirius and nodding. A blue and white light came from the wand, and Harry fell to the floor, just like he had done when Sirius had done the same thing the day before.  
  
"Do you honestly have to keep doing that?" Harry asked jokingly, standing up and folding his arms across his chest.  
  
"Welcome back, Harry. I knew you'd come home." Dumbledore smiled, standing up and holding open his arms for a hug. "But my, my, you look deathly ill."  
  
"Yes, he is, and he needs to go to the hospital wing -"  
  
"Sirius, Dumbledore, everyone. I feel fine." Harry shook his head, sick of everyone saying he needed to see a doctor.  
  
"You don't look fine, and that nightmare you had last night -"  
  
"What nightmare?" Dumbledore turned to Remus, cutting Sirius off. "You didn't tell me about a nightmare."  
  
"I didn't see a reason in telling you about it, since he doesn't even remember it anyway." Remus sighed, and Dumbledore turned back to Harry.  
  
"Is this true, Harry? Do you not remember this nightmare?"  
  
Harry hesitated, and everyone continued to stare. He did remember some of it. He remembered the floating bodies and the pain he could feel.   
  
"I don't remember any of it." Harry shrugged, swallowing thickly and putting on a fake smile, suddenly feeling ill.  
  
"He looks more ill, sir, I'm going to bring him to the hospital wing -"  
  
"Sirius." Harry blinked, suddenly remembering things he had no recollection of doing.  
  
He remembered taking Uncle Vernon's car keys in the middle of the night and walking out front, putting three keys in between each finger. Anger coursed through his body as the ends of the keys touched the silvery color of the brand new car, and he pressed firmly as he started walking, the screeching from the keys on the metal barely loud enough to wake anyone up. Three long scratches were forming as he continued to walk back and forth. Satisfied with his job, he went back inside, dropping the keys on the kitchen table where he found them, then going back upstairs.  
  
Harry blinked again, the image gone. Everyone was staring at him, ready to catch him if he collapsed.  
  
"I don't feel good." Harry whispered, stumbling forward to leave the room, feeling like he was going to be sick. The only image flashing through his head now was of the dead bodies, and he could ismell/i them.  
  
Clara's arm was quickly around his waist, helping him up as she helped him to the hospital wing, Draco behind him in case he fell. Remus and Sirius had stayed behind (Sirius was forced to stay behind) to talk to Dumbledore.   
  
"God, it's horrible." Harry choked out, gagging on the air and stumbling again.  
  
"Just breathe." Clara rubbed his back slowly.   
  
"I can't." Harry gasped and held his breath as they neared the hospital wing, trying to block out the smell. "Don't you smell it?"  
  
"Smell what?" Draco asked, glancing at Clara.  
  
Harry started to gag more as tears blocked his vision as they entered the hospital wing. Draco rushed over to Madame Pomfrey, explaining what had happened, and she nodded, helping Harry to a bed while Draco pulled Clara back, far enough to be out of the way.  
  
"He can't breathe.." Clara trailed off, her mind racing, wondering why.  
  
Minutes later, Sirius walked in, anger and confusion evident on his face. He glanced at Harry, who was lying in the bed, taking different kinds of medicine potions. Sirius ran a hand through his hair, which was starting to gray a little, then closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Harry, who had finished his medicine and was starting to breathe normally again, looked over at Sirius, who had started to pace, his hands clenching behind his back.  
  
"Sirius, what's wrong?" Harry asked, trying to get comfortable in the bed, sighing.  
  
"Nothing." Sirius shook his head, walking over to Harry, ignoring Clara and Draco, who were still standing next to the door awkwardly. "I'm just..uh..worried, about you."  
  
"You're a bad liar." Harry grinned, but it fell when he realized Sirius wasn't smiling alone. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Voldemort..he found out, just like he would've anyway, that you had escaped." Sirius closed his eyes again, running his right hand through his hair continuously until Harry grabbed his wrist to stop him.  
  
"What'd he do?"   
  
Sirius took another moment, staring at the blanket on the bed. He should've waited until Harry was healthier, but it was useless. Instead, he pulled out a copy of the Daily Prophet from that morning, handing it to Harry. Harry took the newspaper, which was opened to the front page. Clara and Draco walked over casually, to see what it said.  
  
"The Dark Lord has struck again." Harry read aloud, his heart dropping at the words. "A man, suspected of holding the Lord in his home, has been found, murdered, outside of Hogsmeade, where two 5th year Hogwarts students, Vincent Crabbe and Seamus Finnigan, have been found. Lucius Malfoy, a man who often threatened people wherever he went, had been hit with Avadra Kedavra.." Harry trailed off, looking up at Draco, then at Sirius. "But.."  
  
"Keep reading it." Sirius whispered, also glancing at Draco, who's already pale face had paled more, his eyes wide.  
  
"Two other bodies were found in their home late last night, immediately after the body of Lucius Malfoy had been found. James Potter and his wife, Sarah Potter, grandparents of Harry Potter, had been found dead in their home. Police have said they were killed by the Avadra Kedavra curse." Harry started to choke on tears, but fought them back. "No evidence has been found to prove that Harry Potter himself is dead, except for Sirius Black, who had said to have seen him die the same way.."  
  
Harry threw the paper down, then stared at the foot of his bed. All because he had escaped the dungeons of Malfoy Mansion, three people were dead.  
  
"This is all my fault.." Harry whispered, breaking the silence.  
  
"YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" Draco screamed, causing everyone to jump. "MY FATHER IS DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU!"  
  
"I..no, Draco, that's not all true!" Harry stumbled over the words, surprised by his outburst.  
  
"He's dead..and my mother's next.." Draco desperately tried to fight back angry tears as he glared at Harry. "You're going to die Potter. You'll die a horrible death."  
  
Harry's eyes narrowed in confusion as he watched Draco leave the room. Clara and Sirius, not knowing whether or not to go after him, stood protectively in front of Harry.  
  
"I have to go after him." Harry stood up, feeling dizzy, but blinked away the stars as he pushed past Sirius and Clara.  
  
"Harry -"   
  
"Sirius." Clara whispered, holding back Sirius' hand. "He does need to go after him."  
  
"Draco's going to try something on him." Sirius, who felt like a kid being pulled back by his mother, got Clara's hand off of him as he stood, watching the empty door.  
  
"No he won't." Clara shook her head, walking toward the door with Sirius. "We should just leave them here for a while. Come on back to my place and I'll have my father make you something."  
  
Sirius nodded as the two walked back to Dumbledore's office silently.  
  
- - - - - - - - - -  
  
Harry found Draco in a tower next to the Slytherin House. He had assumed Draco had gone there, given that's the only tower Draco didn't have a problem walking up. Draco had his knees pulled up to his chest as he stared out the window, sitting on a chair. Trails left behind by tears lingered on his face as he continued to stare, ignoring the sounds Harry was making as he walked over to him.  
  
"I'm sorry." Harry whispered, sitting down next to him, staring out the window too.  
  
Draco remained silent, staring at the forest as the trees moved in a small breeze.  
  
"I've lost my grandparents and my parents to Voldemort, Draco. At least you knew your father. All I have is lousy pictures and those videos." Harry said quietly, rubbing his eyes and staring outside again.  
  
"I shouldn't have said what I said back there. I didn't mean it." Draco whispered sadly.  
  
"I know you didn't mean it." Harry looked over at Draco finally. "I am sorry that this happened though. It's all my fault. I got your father killed and my grandparents."  
  
"No..you almost got yourself killed, Harry. Lucius had it coming to him. My mother often told me he was going to get his someday. I didn't know your grandparents, but I know they wouldn't want you blaming yourself because of this. It's just as much my fault and Fred's fault as it is yours."  
  
"Well..er..thanks." Harry said sarcastically. "I'm not all that upset that they died..I mean..they were real family, but I barely knew them. Just like Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia.."  
  
They sat in another silence, and Harry's eyes drifted down to Hagrid's hut. The curtains were pulled over the windows and Fang was tied up out front. Hagrid had to be home.  
  
"Do you remember that nightmare, Harry?" Draco asked suddenly, and Harry bit his bottom lip, hoping he wouldn't have another panic attack.  
  
"I remember walking through this..fountain kind of thing. It was huge, like the size of the Great Hall. And bodies were floating everywhere. It wasn't just muggles either. It was you, the Weasley's..Hermione..everyone. The smell was horrible." Harry sucked in a breath. "Then I don't remember anything after that, except standing in front of Voldemort. He said some kind of spell I didn't know, and my whole body felt like it was being ripped apart. I could feel it in my sleep. Like a thousand knives stabbing you and ripping you to pieces."  
  
Draco sat in silence again, thinking about it. "That's all you remember?"  
  
"Yeah." Harry sighed, and squinted as he saw Hagrid open his door and let Fang in, then shutting it again. "Let's go down to see Hagrid."  
  
"He doesn't fancy me too much." Draco shook his head. "I kind of want to stay up here and think."  
  
"Please, Draco? I don't want you alone up here when there's no one else in the school except for Dumbledore." Harry stood up, grabbing Draco's wrist and pulling him out of the chair.  
  
"If he says anything to me that's threatening, I'm leaving."  
  
Harry nodded and ran down the steps of the tower, then down the moving staircases. Draco followed, wondering why he was so excited to go see Hagrid. Then again, he didn't think he'd actually spoken to Hagrid since the end of their fourth year. Harry jumped down the steps of the school and onto the grass, waiting for Draco as he ran to catch up, then the two sprinted across the big yard to Hagrid's hut. Harry started banging on the door, causing Fang to bark loudly.  
  
"Go away!" Hagrid yelled through the door, silencing Fang.  
  
"Hagrid!" Harry had Draco yell.  
  
"I said go away!" Hagrid swung the door open angrily, then froze as his whole face paled as he stared at Harry. "'Arry?"  
  
"Hey Hagrid." Harry grinned, hugging Hagrid tightly, who remained rigid in his embrace. "Now, I know this seems a bit weird, and there's going to be a lot of explaining -"  
  
"Damn righ' a lo' of explainin'" Hagrid scoffed, but hugged Harry anyway. "Yeh scared me 'Arry."  
  
"Come on, Draco." Harry waved Draco in, and Hagrid seemed to realize he was standing there.  
  
"Yeh, Draco, come in." Hagrid opened the door for him, then shut it after the two entered. "Tea?"  
  
"No thanks." Draco shook his head, Harry agreeing with Draco.  
  
Hagrid sat down in his large chair as Harry and Draco sat in two other chairs silently.  
  
"I read abou' yer father, Draco. Sorry ter hear abou' that." Hagrid said quietly, drinking some tea.  
  
"It's alright." Draco said politely, folding his hands nervously.  
  
"An' yer gran'parents, 'Arry." Hagrid nodded at Harry.  
  
"I didn't know them that well." Harry shrugged. "Sorry I haven't been to see you, Hagrid. I've just been..so.."  
  
"I un'erstand." Hagrid smiled, his face lighting up. "I thought yer were dead."  
  
"So did I.." Harry trailed off, smiling up at the big man, tilting his head to the side. "But then again, no one can get rid of me."  
  
Hagrid laughed and nodded happily, offering a cake to Draco. Draco looked at Harry out of the corner of his eye, and Harry waved his hands.  
  
"No thanks."  
  
The three continued talking for most of the day until Harry (and Hagrid) realized how late it had gotten.  
  
"I better go back before anyone worries." Harry stood up, as did Draco, and the two say goodbyes and left the hut. They ran across the lawn again, then up the steps. Harry turned the corner and almost fell backwards, catching himself as Professor Snape did the same.  
  
"Malfoy, with me." Snape grabbed Draco's arm and dragged him off to Dumbledore's office, leaving Harry alone in the hallway.  
  
So instead of following, he walked around until he found Remus' office. He opened the door and peered in, and saw that it was empty. Harry sighed and decided to just go back to the hospital wing and rest. He walked down the hallway and cringed when he heard someone yelling after him.  
  
"Oh Harry Pooooottterrrrr!" The ghost yelled abnoxiously, and Harry cringed again.  
  
"What, Peeves?" Harry turned around, half expecting a bucket of water to be thrown on him, or some kind of cruel prank, but there was nothing.  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that you're dead." Peeves sighed sadly, and Harry's eyes narrowed as he looked at the ghost stupidly.  
  
"I'm not dead..if I'm standing here as a person." Harry rolled his eyes, but kept his eyes narrowed at the ghost.  
  
"Are you sure? Because I know ghosts can look like -"  
  
"Peeves, I don't know why you're so stuck on me being dead, but I'm not." Harry went to turn around.  
  
"I'm sorry about your grandparents too. I knew them when they were kids goin here. And your parents too. And Lucius and Narcissa -"  
  
"Er, Narcissa's not dead." Harry shook his head slowly, and Peeves grew quiet. "Peeves, just, go away alright? I appreciate that you're sorry they're all dead, because you aren't ever sorry for anything, but -"  
  
"I am sorry for a lot of things." Peeves spat at him, floating away backwards angrily. "I'm sorry that I had to become a ghost and supposedly haunt Hogwarts."  
  
Harry's eyes narrowed again, wondering why Peeves would be sorry for that. Everyone thought he liked it. Peeves disappeared through the ceiling and could be heard crashing things around and yelling something, but Harry ignored it and turned back to the hospital wing.   
  
When he entered, Madame Pomfrey was sitting at her desk, writing something.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey? Er, how come you're not at home?" Harry asked the question that had bothered him since he saw Snape.  
  
"This is my home, dear. The teachers here and students are my family." Madame Pomfrey smiled up at him. "Are you feeling any better?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks." Harry nodded slowly. "Would it be okay if I just..stayed up in my dormitory?"  
  
"I don't see why not. The only other people here are about half of the Professors and Draco." Madame Pomfrey waved him off, and he left gratefully. He left the wing and half ran to his dormitory, wanting to get to sleep. After having to have a conversation with the Fat Lady ("We all thought you were dead. The whole school was so upset") he got into the House and ran up the stairs to the 5th year dormitory. He looked around the familiar room, at all the beds, then walked over to Seamus' bed. There were cards and flowers on it, along with a long scroll of paper. He picked up a card and read, "We'll all miss you, Seamus. You were a great Quidditch player and a friend everyone could count on. Love always, Fred and George." Harry put the card down and looked over at his own bed, which probably had more cards and scroll's on it than Seamus did.   
  
He walked over and picked up the card and read it quietly. "You were my best friend Harry. I don't know why you had to leave me and Hermione in a time when we needed you the most, but I forgive you for it. I hope you're okay where you are now, with your parents finally. I'll miss you so much. Ron" Harry touched the parchment where dried tear drops were, and sighed. They really thought he had died. Instead of getting sleep, he knew he had to go visit the Weasley's. He ran up the steps this time, into the 7th year dormitory, and started digging through Fred's trunk under his bed (which he'd been told once before was where you could get anything you needed). Harry made a face as he pushed aside things he'd never imagined were in there, until he found a plastic bag marked 'Floo Powder'. He pulled it out, then pulled out a box of matches, then ran down the steps to the common room.  
  
He struck a match and threw it into the fireplace, along with man others, then blowing on the burning wood to cause a big enough fire to go. He pulled out some Floo Powder and threw it into the fireplace, then jumped in anxiously, yelling, "THE BURROW!" Within moments, he was standing in the living room of the Weasley house. The living room was empty, but he could hear voices in the kitchen.  
  
"Molly, you're making the kids more upset when they see you crying." Arthur Weasley said softly as Mrs. Weasley let out another cry.  
  
"I can't help it, Arthur. I loved him like he was my own, and now he's gone. And poor Draco Malfoy." Mrs. Weasley whispered quietly. "You're sure they found his mother?"  
  
"Yes dear, we're sure." Mr. Weasley sighed quietly. "How are the boys doing?"  
  
"Ron's taking this all so horribly.." Mrs. Weasley trailed off, choking on tears. "He lost his best friend ever. I'm just, I'm so afraid he'll do something Arthur."  
  
"He won't dear. I know Ron." Mr. Weasley's voice grew silent, and Harry walked into the kitchen slowly and watched them until they turned around and jumped back, startled. 


	17. Truth and..death

Author's Note: Thanks for the..what..6 notes? lol.. I came back from Cali and said..HEY! 6 NOTES!. Yeah, pathetic. I still need you guys to tell me if my sequel should be slash or not..you can leave anonymous notes, just as long as I get some answers =)  
  
To kyra aku riddle :  
Nah, I got to Centennial, the preppy ass school..email me, and we can talk! Liz@patheticmutt.com  
  
NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES!  
  
  
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"Arthur.." Mrs. Weasley trailed off, nudging her husband lightly, thinking she was imagining it.  
  
"It can't be." Mr. Weasley blinked and narrowed his eyes in confusion.  
  
"It's a long story." Harry whispered, and Mrs. Weasley rushed over, hugging him tightly, extremely relieved.  
  
"Back off, Molly." Mr. Weasley had his wand drawn, and Harry sighed.  
  
"That won't do anything, sir. Dumbledore and Sirius have already done that to me." Harry gave him a smile, but Mr. Weasley ignored the comment and whispered the spell to see if Harry was really Harry. Once again, he was proven the real Harry.  
  
Mr. Weasley rushed over to Harry and hugged him tightly, also extremely relieved.  
  
"Thank God you're not dead." Mrs. Weasley whispered. "I have to go get the boys."  
  
"No, I want to." Harry gave her a smile, which made her smile back, and ran up the stairs to the rooms. He stopped in front of Ron's room, and he could hear muffled sobs from two people. Across the hall, Fred and George were angrily yelling, and Ginny was in there telling the two to shut up. Harry opened the door slowly.  
  
"Get out, we're not hungry!" Ron yelled, turning his head slightly from his pillow. Harry pushed the door open more, and saw Hermione sitting in a chair, staring at the door curiously.  
  
"Ron?" Harry swung the door open, and Ron's eyes flew open.  
  
"Harry?! Is it you?!" Ron stumbled out of his bed, wiping his face as Hermione did the same, then stood in front of Harry. "Is it?"  
  
"No, it's someone dressed as me." Harry rolled his eyes and hugged Ron tightly.   
  
"But you're supposed to be..Sirius said..you're alive?!" Hermione took another step forward cautiously.  
  
"I'm standing here, aren't I?" Harry grinned, hugging Hermione too. "It's a really long story kind of. Okay, not that long, but I'll tell you all later."  
  
Ron nodded and hugged Harry again before Harry moved out into the hallway and towards Fred and George's room, where yelling was still going on.  
  
"..Fred, why don't you get it? I said I'm sick of pulling pranks on everyone! It's pointless!" George yelled angrily, throwing something on the ground.  
  
"You aren't sick of it! You're just upset that Harry's gone, so you think there's no point!" Fred argued back.  
  
"We're all going to die anyway, Fred. I might as well try to get good grades and pass school." George whispered furiously, and Harry opened the door.  
  
"Mum, we're sorry, we'll be quiet." Fred waved his hand at the door, not looking at it.  
  
"Er, Fred, I used your Floo Powder and matches, is that okay?" Harry asked, opening the door wider, and Fred grinned as George turned around slowly.  
  
"That's okay mate." Fred nodded happily as George inched over to Harry. "As long as you pay me back somehow."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes and looked up at George, grinning. "Hey. Miss me?"  
  
"You're dead."  
  
"No I'm not."  
  
"Yes you are!"  
  
"Am not."  
  
"Harry, Sirius said you were dead, and the newspaper -"  
  
"Blah blah, I'm not dead." Harry tilted his head to the side.   
  
"But how'd you get out of..where were you?" George asked before hugging Harry tightly.  
  
"I don't think I can say where I was..but er.." Harry looked up at Fred for help, and he just nodded. "Fred saved me."  
  
George jumped back like Harry was burning hot, and turned and shoved Fred.  
  
"You did?! You could've been killed!" George shoved Fred again angrily before hugging him tightly. "I'm so glad you did."  
  
"So glad I was almost killed?" Fred asked, mocking anger. "Well I never!"  
  
"Shut up you fool." George turned back to Harry and hugged him. "As long as you're alive..I think everything's better." George pulled away and turned to Fred. "So, back to the inventions?"  
  
Fred bowed and ushered everyone out of their room, locking the door. Harry and everyone else stood in the hall for a moment before going downstairs.  
  
"When are you going to tell us your story?" Ron asked anxiously, and Harry waved him off.  
  
"Once I'm uh.." Harry trailed off, stopping at the entrance of the kitchen. "Rested."  
  
Mrs. Weasley had her wand out, fixing up dishes and dishes of food for a late lunch. Harry frowned slighty, not feeling very hungry. He knew she was making this as a sort of celebration he was alive and everything.  
  
"Mum, what are you doing?" Ron asked, pushing past Harry carefully, walking up to his mother.  
  
"Making lunch, dear, what does it look like?" She asked, looking down at her son (but he was quite tall and almost taller than her).  
  
"Well, that's a bit much mum. I don't think Harry's too hungry either." Ron turned back to Harry. "Where's Clara?"  
  
"Er.." Harry had completely forgotten about Draco, Sirius and Clara. "I don't..know."  
  
"What's that mean?" Hermione asked from behind him. "Did you two fight?"  
  
"Oh, no." Harry shook his head, smiling at her. "I'll explain everything when we're all sitting in here together."  
  
Before anyone could say anything, the back door swung open and Charles, Percy and Bill (A/N:I'm thinking those are the right names..) entered and froze, staring at Harry.  
  
"I thought you died?" Percy asked, stepping backwards a bit.  
  
"He'll explain everything later. Go get your brothers and father, Ginny." Mrs. Weasley put everything on the table and conjured up more table space and chairs as everyone sat around the table.  
  
Minutes later, everyone was sitting around the table, talking more than they had the past week, mostly excitedly. Everyone but Harry. He just nodded and smiled and joined in a conversation when he had to, but stayed out of the business (like Hermione did). Once everyone had their share of food, they all began asking Harry what had happened. Harry took a bite of a pastry and began his story.  
  
"I remember being outside for the Quidditch game, but that's all I remember of the game. I guess I was hit with something because my head was bleeding when I woke up." Harry looked over at Fred and George.  
  
"Yeah, a bludger hit you pretty hard." George nodded and Harry continued.  
  
"I was chained up to a wall, and I must've been there for days because my arms stung so badly, since they were above my head. Anyways, Voldemort -"  
  
"Harry!"  
  
"Sorry Mrs. Weasley." Harry sighed. "The Dark Lord had me thrown into a cell across from Sirius' cell. Apparently, Sirius was under the Imperius Curse and took me to the Lord. Anyway, Sirius and I kind of got into an argument about..I don't know what." Harry paused, contemplating whether he should tell them about the journal or not, but decided against it. "Days passed and then Malf..a Death Eater said Sirius was dead. I saw the body, so I thought it really was Sirius."  
  
"And it wasn't?" Mr. Weasley asked, fascinated by the story.  
  
"Apparently it was Seamus Finnigan." Harry shrugged, taking another bite of his food. "So I got really depressed and starved myself and all that. I was nearly dead I think when Draco Malfoy was thrown into the cell with me. I guess it took a while for me to get used to another person in there with me, and believe that Sirius really was alive. By that time, everyone had thought I was killed, because Volde..the Dark Lord had tricked Sirius just as he had tricked me. So Vincent Crabbe had been killed."  
  
"How'd you get out then?" Mrs. Weasley asked, staring at Harry intently.  
  
"Er, well..Draco and I had, er..pulled a Death Eater into the cell and locked him in there, and..er.." Harry looked at Fred for help.  
  
"I saved him mum. I took his invisibility cloak and I went down there and hid Harry as Draco went back up to his room, and we all went to Sirius' house through Floo Powder."  
  
"Fred!" Mrs. Weasley jumped from her chair. "I can't believe you did that! You could've been killed!"  
  
"I know I know. George already got mad at me for that." Fred grinned over at Harry, winking slightly. "But I'm okay, Harry's okay, Draco's okay, everyone is okay."  
  
"Is that where you took Ginny too?" Mrs. Weasley asked angrily.  
  
"She stayed up in Draco's room with Clara, mum. She didn't see anything except his room." Fred sighed, still smiling. "She's okay too."  
  
Mrs. Weasley fell back into her chair and sighed. "So Harry, where is everyone now?"  
  
"Well, we went to Dumbledore's office this morning. Sirius and Remus stayed behind to talk to him while Clara and Draco took me to the hospital wing for medicine. Then Sirius came in and handed me today's Daily Prophet, and well, Draco got angry and blamed me for it, of course." Harry shrugged and sighed. "I went after him, and Sirius and Clara let me go alone. Then Draco and I talked and went to see Hagrid for a while..then Snape -"  
  
"Professor Snape." Percy corrected.  
  
"Professor Snape took Draco off to Dumbledore's office, and I couldn't find anyone else, so I went up to the dormitory to sleep. I found all the cards everyone had written me..and I found Ron's, so I knew I had to come and see you guys."   
  
"Sirius must be worried sick!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. "When you're done, you must immediately go with Ron and Hermione to find him!"  
  
"Molly, dear, that's not a good idea." Mr. Weasley mumbled under his breath. "I'll go with them."  
  
"I'm sure he's not really worried." Harry assured them. "I mean, he's the one who left me first, kind of."  
  
"Either way, Harry, we can't afford to lose you again." Mrs. Weasley stood up and cleared off all of the plates with a flick of her wand.  
  
Ron rolled his eyes at his mother and turned to Harry. "So you're doing alright?"  
  
"I'm doin alright." Harry nodded, standing up with Hermione and Ron. "You?"  
  
"I'm fine now." Ron smiled, and Hermione agreed.  
  
"Let's get going before anything happens." Mr. Weasley ushered the three kids to the fireplace, and one by one, they went through the chimney to Hogwarts.  
  
They entered Dumbledore's office, and sighed when they saw Dumbledore sitting at his desk, happy to see them together.  
  
"Harry, Sirius is in Professor Lupin's office. Draco and Clara are around here somewhere." Dumbledore stood, shaking Mr. Weasley's hand.  
  
"Come on." Harry pulled Ron and Hermione out of the office, leaving Dumbledore and Arthur to talk. The three walked around the hall for a bit, coming closer to Lupin's office. Sirius was just leaving, angrily, and Harry knew they had had another argument. It was probably about him again.  
  
"There you are." Sirius forced a smile, nodding at Hermione and Ron. "We should be going.."  
  
"I'm looking for Draco and Clara, actually. Do you know where they are?" Harry asked, throwing a confused look at his friends when he saw Sirius cringe at Draco's name.  
  
"I uh, I don't know where they are." Sirius looked back into Lupin's office and saw him flipping through many papers, reading them slowly.  
  
"Thanks. I'm going to go look for him, alright?" Harry asked and left before Sirius could argue. The first place he was going to check was the tower Draco had been in earlier. The three ran up the moving staircases and sighed when their staircase moved to another flat. They got off and walked through the door that they came upon, and saw that it led to a well lit hallway.  
  
"Harry." Ron moaned unhappily. "This is Professor Trelawny's tower."  
  
"Great. Why would the staircase bring us up here?" Hermione asked, folding her arms as they continued up the winding staircase.  
  
"Maybe she's going to read us out futures." Ron suggested and Harry let out a small laugh. "Or maybe she realized we made up all of our deaths on our assignments."  
  
"Yeah, maybe." Harry looked up at the ceiling, where the trick door was. He sighed, remembering how much he hated that door.  
  
"Harry, over here." Clara said, startling the three people, and Harry walked over to another staircase, where Clara was standing. "Draco's up there."  
  
"Up.." Harry looked up the winding staircase. "There?"  
  
"Yeah, up there, that's what I said. He won't really talk to me, so maybe you could." Clara said simply, and Harry glanced at her for a moment.  
  
"If he won't talk to you, why would he talk to me?"  
  
"Because you two know eachother better." Clara shrugged, smiling at Hermione and Ron, then looking back at Harry.  
  
"What happened to make him not talk to you?" Harry asked, craning his neck and looking up the staircase he'd never been up before.  
  
Clara ignored the comment and gave him a hug, then walked past him and down the steps to the regular floor. Ron gave Harry a puzzled look, and Hermione did the same. Harry shrugged and started up the steps. It wasn't as far as he thought it'd be, and when he came to the flat, he saw Draco sitting in the corner, waving his wand around aimlessly.  
  
"Hey." Harry walked across the room and sat down on the stone floor next to him.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"Nothin." Draco sighed, flicking his wand toward the window, where a bird was standing, chirping. The green light flashed from his wand and hit the bird, killing it.  
  
"Er, what was that?" Harry laughed quietly, and Draco shrugged. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm sure you've heard." Draco whispered softly.  
  
"About..? Your mum?"  
  
"Yes, Potter, my mum. She's been killed like my damn father." Draco snapped, flicking his wand at the opposite wall, causin a small chunk to break from the stone and land on the floor.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Doesn't matter to me if you're sorry or not." Draco shrugged, drawing designs in the air with different colors of smoke from his wand.  
  
"Well it matters to me. I know how you feel. Hell, I didn't even know my parents. I'm sorry you have to go through this." Harry said quietly, and Draco flicked his wand at his feet, and a snake appeared at his feet, looking up at the two. "What are you going to do?"  
  
"Get put up for adoption in the Wizarding World. No one wants me though, because I mean, Lucius ruined everything I could ever want that isn't in the Dark Side." Draco sighed as the snake started slithering toward the door.  
  
"Hey, get back here!" Harry hissed at the snake, and it obeyed, coming back. "Well, can't you stay with Sirius and me?"  
  
Draco scoffed. "Sirius doesn't like me, Harry."  
  
"Yeah he does."  
  
"If no one adopts me in the Wizarding World, I'm going to be put in either an orphanage here, where I can still come to school, or into a muggle orphanage and never come back here." Draco made the snake disappear.  
  
"You don't have any family?"  
  
"None that wants me. They all hated Lucius, and they all think I'm like him."  
  
"Any family is better that nothing."  
  
"Yeah, and get abused, Harry? I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, but it's pointless." Draco stood up, putting his wand in his pocket and running a hand over his hair.  
  
Harry stood also and followed him silently out of the tower and down the winding steps, where Ron and Hermione were sitting at the bottom, their backs to the walls. Without a word to either of them or Harry, Draco left the tower.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Wouldn't talk to me." Harry shrugged as the two stood up and they made their way back downstairs.  
  
Once they all got in the hallway, Sirius grabbed Harry's arm tightly.  
  
"We're going home." Sirius yanked on his arm, and Harry's instincts got the best of him and he flinched away, backing up from Sirius. "Harry, now!"  
  
Harry stared at him, terror in his eyes. Sirius looked at him, confused, then realization struck him.  
  
"I'm sorry." Sirius sighed, turning and looking at Ron and Hermione, who were curiously watching them.   
  
"I didn't mean to..er..Ron, Hermione, I'll come visit you guys later." Harry said quickly, walking down the hall, grabbing Sirius as he went.  
  
Sirius walkes silently with Harry back to Dumbledore's office, and without a word to Draco, Professor Lupin or Dumbledore, they went back home to Sirius's house. Once they were inside, Harry turned to him.  
  
"What was that about?"  
  
"Remus wants to adopt Draco." Sirius said angrily, and Harry's jaw dropped.  
  
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NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES!NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES!NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES!NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES!NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES!NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES!NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES! 


	18. Blindness Baby

Harry sat at the table that night, between Sirius and Remus while they silently ate supper. He hadn't asked why they were mad at eachother ithis/i time, and he really had no idea why. Sirius was eating his supper silently, mumbling something every now and then, and Remus would throw a look at him.  
  
"You two act worse than four year olds." Harry said quietly, and Sirius scoffed at the comment.  
  
"Don't say that kind of thing about your Godfather." Remus said in a sarcastic tone, and Harry sighed.  
  
"Honestly, you two are acting like idiots. What's going on?"  
  
"Ask him." Sirius said quietly, standing up to put his plate away.  
  
"I'm adopting Draco."  
  
"I knew that. Why would that upset you, Sirius?" Harry asked, looking up at his father figure, who wouldn't look him in the eye.  
  
"He doesn't want a Malfoy in his house. He hates Lucius, so he thinks Draco's a bad ass like his father, which I know he isn't." Remus coughed a little, thinking it was funny.  
  
"It isn't funny, Remus. I don't trust Draco, that's all. It's my house anyway, so why should I let him in here? Even if he's your adoptive son." Sirius turned and looked at his friend, not as angry anymore.  
  
"It's my house too." Remus argued. "I payed for my share when we moved in here."  
  
"But it's under my family's name." Sirius argued back.  
  
"It's also my house." Harry cut them off. "And Draco is a friend of mine, no matter if you like him or not, Sirius. I think it's my decision too." Harry folded his arms, leaning back as Sirius and Remus exchanged glances.   
  
"Which means you want him here, right?" Sirius sighed. "Fine, whatever, it's your life Remus, do whatever."  
  
Remus sighed too, sitting back in his chair also. "Sirius, I hate fighting with you, really, I do."  
  
"Really..could've fooled me."  
  
"You're the one who's fighting with me. What's wrong with you lately?" Remus asked, standing up as Sirius started for the door.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Yeah..alright, Harry, go up to your bedroom please." Remus turned to Harry, who immediately caught his drift and went upstairs.  
  
Harry plopped down on his father's bed, looking around the somewhat large room. It mostly was Quidditch poster's on the walls, which Harry thought, was a little odd. It was weird seeing something your own father left behind when he was nearly your own age. Downstairs, Harry could hear rustling and a little arguing, then it grew silent for a while. Harry's thoughts turned to Voldemort.  
  
'Where is he?' Harry thought unhappily. Voldemort could be anywhere, watching him, waiting for him to be alone. Harry's head snapped around the room as he shuddered and the hairs on the back of his neck pricked up. He suddenly didn't feel safe in the room. Forgetting about what Remus had told him, he went back down the stairs and into the living room, noticing Sirius sitting on a couch, staring at the floor, deep in thought.  
  
"I thought I told you to go up into your bedroom?" Remus asked softly from the kitchen as he waved his wand, cleaning the dishes.  
  
"You did, I know. I don't feel safe by myself." Harry answered, sitting next to Sirius and staring at the spot he was looking at. "What are you looking at?"  
  
"My forehead." Sirius answered, and Harry smiled and laughed a little.  
  
"Thinking does bad things for you. So really, what are you looking at?" Harry turned his head, wondering if he was really looking at something.  
  
"The floor."  
  
"Remus, make him stop thinking please?" Harry looked up, and Remus gave him a small smile but nothing else. "Er..are you okay Sirius?"  
  
Sirius nodded but didn't move. Harry watched him, scared. What the hell was wrong with him?  
  
"What'd you say to him, Remus?" Harry snapped his head in the direction of the kitchen, and Remus looked at him curiously.  
  
"Nothing Harry. You should go up to your bedroom and -"  
  
"REMUS!" Harry shouted, then bit his lip before he said anything else. He winced slightly as his scar burned. Whenever he got upset or stressed, he found out a few months before, his scar would burn irritably. "I don't feel comfortable alone, okay?"  
  
Sirius slipped his arm protectively around Harry's shoulders, hugging him into his body. Harry leaned into Sirius, relaxing a little.  
  
"So what's going on, you guys?" Harry asked, looking up at Remus, then Sirius.  
  
"Well, I've decided to adopt Draco. I mean..he won't like it that much, but at least he'll know me. Plus you'll live here over the summer, so you two can become friends and all that. Once the Ministry sorts out everything, I'll be granted legal custody."  
  
"I don't care if you do it, Remus." Sirius sighed quietly. "You can do what you want.."  
  
Remus nodded and sat down on the other side of Harry, and they talked quietly until Harry fell asleep, his head in Sirius' lap.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
Harry woke up the next morning in a bed. He racked his brain, trying to remember the night before. He remembered falling asleep on the couch, but that was it. He rolled over in bed and saw that it was occupied. Sirius' back faced him as he slept peacefully. Harry grinned and got out of the bed. He quietly left the bedroom and walked down the hall into his room. A man was sitting on his bed, holding his wand out at him.  
  
"The Dark Lord will prevail!" He hissed before saying something, causing bright yellow streaks to come from his wand. Harry couldn't even see the man before he was blinded by pain. He fell to the floor, screaming as he held onto his left arm, his eyes tightly closed.  
  
"What?" Sirius was in the room immediately, followed by Remus, as they knelt next to Harry, who continued to hold his arm in pain. "What? What? Harry?" Sirius grabbed Harry's wrist, pulling it away from the 'hurt' arm.  
  
"What happened?" Remus asked Harry, trying to calm him down.  
  
"Some guy..he..yellow light.."   
  
"What? Someone was in here? What about the yellow light?" Sirius asked, looking at the badly broken arm.  
  
"Wand..his wand..."  
  
"Oh damn." Remus pulled out his wand. "Open your eyes, Harry."  
  
Harry obeyed, continuing to whimper over his arm. Then he froze. "I can't see..I can't see.."  
  
"Calm down." Sirius bit his bottom lip as he tried to get Harry to calm down. "We're going to get you to St. Mungo's right now, okay?"  
  
Remus mumbled a sleeping spell, and Harry dozed off immediately. Sirius whispered some choice words before scooping Harry up and leaving the room. Remus followed swiftly as they walked down the stairs toward the fireplace to go to St. Mungos.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
"He got a pretty strong spell put on him.." The doctor whispered, not wanting to wake Harry as he talked to Sirius and Remus. "We can't use magic or anything to heal his eyesight..the spell just has to wear off before he can see again."  
  
"How long will that take?" Sirius asked, folding his arms as he glanced at Harry, who was asleep in a bed, his arm wrapped up.  
  
"About 3 weeks, maybe a little longer."   
  
"He's got school. He can't miss anymore of it." Remus stared at the doctor who, in turn, shrugged.  
  
"He can go to school. I'd recommend getting a wizard - muggle voice recorder so he can record the lectures, so he can take notes on it when he can see again."  
  
"So he's not permanently blind?" Sirius asked anxiously. Harry was going to be devastated.  
  
"As far as I can tell, no. There's a slight chance that the spell damaged his eyesight so much that he'll never see again..but I doubt that." The doctor smiled at Sirius and Remus. "I've repaired the broken bone in his arm, but he has to keep it bandaged for a week, because it's going to be really sore."  
  
"Okay." Sirius nodded, staring over at Harry, who started to wake up.   
  
"He's going to be kind of upset." The doctor nodded toward Harry. "I'll leave you two alone with him."  
  
The doctor left as Harry opened his eyes.  
  
"Er.." Harry blinked, then rubbed his eyes, wincing about his arm, then opening his eyes again. "I can't see..oh my God..I'm blind..Sirius!?" Harry panicked, sitting up in the bed, feeling around.  
  
"I'm here, Harry, calm down, okay?" Sirius whispered, sitting next to Harry and pushing him down at his chest. "You'll be like this for maybe a month."  
  
"A month? What the hell happened?"   
  
"Someone was in your room and they hit you with the blinding curse. The blinding curse never lasts long though, so you'll be okay. You got a broken arm too, but that was fixed."  
  
"Why can't they fix my eyes like they fixed my arm?" Harry spat at him angrily. He couldn't go to school like this.  
  
"Because your eyes are part of your brain. They can only adjust your memory, nothing else, otherwise you're screwed up." Sirius sighed, dropping his hand from Harry's chest.  
  
"I'm not going to school." Harry folded his arms across his chest.  
  
"Yes you are."  
  
"No, I'm not."  
  
"Oh yes, you are."  
  
"You can't make me."  
  
"Then I won't help you around." Sirius smirked, and Harry gave in.  
  
"How am I going to get to my classes?"  
  
Remus looked down at Sirius, then back up at Harry. "I'll go tell the Professor's what's going on.."  
  
"Remus?" Harry asked, then frowned. "I hate being invalid."  
  
"You aren't invalid." Sirius rolled his eyes, but smiled. "You're just temporarily blinded."  
  
"Like there's a difference." Harry frowned more. "This sucks, Sirius."  
  
"I'm sorry." Sirius sighed, frowning too. "But you'll be safe at Hogwarts. As soon as the doctor says you can go, you're just going back there."  
  
"Do the Weasley's know? And Clara and Hermione and Draco?"  
  
"Not yet. When Remus gets back, he'll go tell Clara, Hermione and the Weasley's."   
  
"You can go. I'll just ask for a sleeping potion." Harry smiled at the person he couldn't see, and felt incredibly stupid.  
  
"It's okay. Remus won't mind." Sirius smiled back, although Harry couldn't see.  
  
"Yeah he will. It's really okay, Sirius. I'll be fine."  
  
"Okay." Sirius frowned slightly, standing up. "Sleep well."  
  
"Sirius?" Harry asked, opening his arms for a much needed hug. Sirius bent down and hugged his Godson tightly.   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Author's Note: That's the end of Chapter 18..one more chapter left..then I'll have the sequel out maybe the same day the last one of this is posted. If you want me to email you about updates for this story and the sequel (and my slash!! It's called HP & the Love of The Dragon), email me at Liz@patheticmutt.com or leave your email addy in the NOTES YOU GIVE ME. 


	19. The Final Chapter

Author's Note: I'm back! Yes, I posted chapter 18 yesterday. What I forgot to say was my computer got really messed up so I couldn't update forever..and my hair's blue/puple/black! Yay! I won't update tomorrow (I have a doctor's appointment to look at my back xrays :-\ and I'm going to see Goo Goo Dolls tomorrow night!!).  
  
I decided to just write this and post it today..I'm way upset..I think I'm gonna cry. Invader ZiM has been cancelled. You know my pen name, Gir? Well, Gir is Zim's little robot dude..I love that show so much..  
  
Oh oh oh..back to this..this is the last chapter..it has an extremely small cliff hanger..but..ya'll don't mind, do you? I really don't know the title of the sequel yet..but keep checking back to my profile thingy within the next few days and I'll have it there, okay? Thanks.   
  
Creative chapter name for this one, huh? Oh, and don't mind chapter 18's title..I was..er..bored..gotta feed my duck (Bushy!)..  
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School had started up again, days ago. Harry lost count, since he still couldn't see. Sirius had left Harry to Dumbledore's care for a while.  
  
"Until further notice." Sirius had said. That scared Harry too.  
  
Remus didn't sound upset. Whether he looked it or not, Harry didn't know. He hated being blind. The first night back to school, Dumbledore stood in front of the students at supper. Harry was walked out in front of them, and everyone gasped and whispered.   
  
"Yes, I know, it's wonderful." Dumbledore smiled at the students. "And here's your proof this is really him." He had said before 'testing' Harry to see if it was really him. Harry could faintly see the color coming from the wand as he fell onto the floor, something he had grown quite accustomed to. Everyone wanted to see if it was really him or not.  
  
Now that everyone saw Harry, they got used to him being around again. Ron and Hermione spent every single moment with him that they could. Except after classes. Every Professor waited until the hallways were empty and they helped Harry to his next class. Professor McGonagall held on to him tightly around both shoulders, afraid he'd fall. Practically suffocating him too, he'd tell her with a laugh. Professor Snape just held onto his wrist as he half - dragged him to Magical Creatures. Hagrid wasn't much of a help, since he was so large, so Hermione and Ron helped Harry from there. He was really grateful too.  
  
"So, when did the doc say you'll be able to see again?" Ron asked as Hermione and himself helped Harry back to the Gryffindor House four days later that night.  
  
"He said 3 to 5 weeks, and this happened almost two weeks ago.." Harry sighed, making a face. He didn't know how he survived that long without being able to see, but it wasn't that bad now.  
  
"Good!" Hermione said happily. "Then you can start Quidditch Practices and everything."  
  
"Oh..yay." Harry rolled his eyes but smiled. He couldn't wait to start Quidditch again. "How's everyone looking today?"  
  
Ron gave Hermione an awkward look. Truth was, Clara and Harry had drifted a lot since Harry went blind. She wasn't the person they all got to know. Draco hadn't talked to them either, probably because he was still confused over the whole adoption thing. It wasn't working out quite as Remus and Dumbledore had hoped. The Ministry insisted on having a relative take care of him. When they approached one of Draco's family members, they refused to speak of the Malfoy's. The Ministry also said it wouldn't be a good 'learning atmosphere' for Draco, if his adoptive father was a Professor. That was just..wrong.  
  
"Everyone's looking fine, Harry." Hermione patted Harry's back as he sighed quietly.  
  
"How's Draco doing?"  
  
"He's fine." Ron rolled his eyes. Why was Harry so interested in everyone lately? Maybe it was because he can't see anyone for himself.  
  
"Don't lie to me Ron. I know he isn't fine." Harry smiled, although he tried to sound angry. "Are we almost there?"  
  
"Yeah, we are." Hermione said the password and the door to the common room opened. Everyone inside looked up at the people who entered. Most of them said hi to Harry, and he merely said hi back, since he didn't know who they were.  
  
"Er, Ron, I'm really tired..so I just want to wash up and go to sleep." Harry shrugged Hermione's hand off of his shoulder. "G'night Hermione."  
  
"Night, Harry."  
  
Ron helped Harry up the steps, then into the fifth year dorms. He helped Harry get his sleep clothes, then let him go into the restroom to shower. Ron watched and smiled. It felt good to have Harry depending on him for something.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - -   
  
That night, Harry was awakened by someone shaking. People were rustling around the room, some people yelling up (or down?) the steps to the other year's dorms. Some were yelling for Fred and George.  
  
"Get up, quick." The voice..Dean's voice, said urgently. Harry rubbed his eyes and got up, remaining in darkness. He didn't know whether he was awake or asleep. But it seemed to real to be a dream. He was dragged toward the stairs.  
  
"What's happening?" Harry said, his voice hoarse as he yawned, wanting to go back to sleep.  
  
"Ron's missing."  
  
Harry froze, pulling his arm from Dean. "What did you say?"  
  
"Ron's missing, Harry, come downstairs." Dean grabbed Harry's wrist again and drug him down the stairs. Harry could hear yelling in the common room, despite the fact that Professor McGonagall was trying to quiet them down.  
  
"Where is my brother?!" Someone yelled, and Harry shivered. It was true.  
  
"Calm down, George." Professor McGonagall said calmly as someone rushed down the stairs from the girl's dorm.  
  
"Hermione's gone too! And there's a note!" She said. It was Ginny. Dean tightened his grip on Harry's arm. Harry just stood rigid, not believing anything that was being said, but knowing it was true.  
  
There was a silence as Professor McGonagall read it. Then she let out a kind of choking sound, like she was choking back tears.   
  
"What's it say?" Fred asked, trying to grab at the paper.  
  
"It says..they've been kidnapped."  
  
Harry almost laughed out loud. Kidnapped, in Hogwarts? The thought was so absurd it was funny. Obviously some other people thought that too, but kept their laughing back. It wasn't a lie. Or a joke. Someone had somehow gotten into the school and kidnapped Ron and Hermione. The thought was still funny to Harry.  
  
"Who's that from?" George asked, holding his sister to his body. The only thought running through his mind was who took his brother.   
  
The only thought running through Dean's mind was who got into the school?  
  
And the only thought running through Harry's mind was Voldemort.  
  
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I told you it was an extremely small cliff...  
  
Email me dammit! If you NEED to read my SEQUEL, you MUST email me so you can get updates on the first chapter and what it's called.  
  
LIZ@PATHETICMUTT.COM  
  
Or IM me on MSN!  
  
Digitalnfreaky@hotmail.com  
  
Or IM me on AIM!  
  
highclasstoyz  
  
Or..if you're really lazy..when you leave me a note, leave your email addy so I can email you, okay? 


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